Oak Park neighborhood. The installation uses the quarterly town hall
meetings, email, and social media to communicate to Oak Park residents
when monthly and quarterly test runs will be conducted.
The testing of the generators must be compliant with Air Force Instruction
(AFI) 32‐1062 Electrical Systems, Power Plant and Generators, which
includes operation and maintenance requirements for power systems. In
addition to following this instruction, medical facilities must also comply
with UFC 4‐510‐01 Design: Military Medical Facilities, which details policies
and procedures for programming, planning, design, and construction of
Military Medical Facilities. This includes policies for engine generator sets.
According to the UFC, engine generator sets for Military Medical Facilities
must be powered by diesel fuel. For the location of generators, it is stated
that generator sets must be located “in the central energy plant serving the
Military Medical Facility, provided that the plant is located sufficiently close
to the structure to minimize line losses and prevent excessive cable runs.”
In addition, the UFC suggests locating generator sets at a higher elevation
“in coastal regions subject to storm surge.”
In addition to the DoD standards for generators, the Keesler Medical Facility
also follows the National Fire Protection Association standards, NFPA 110
Standard for Emergency and Standby Systems. NFPA 110 provides
installation, maintenance, operation, and testing requirements for
emergency or standby power supply systems (EPSS).
The neighborhood is notified by the Public Affairs Office, via email, of the
day and time that the generators will be tested. The email notifications are
provided to residents of the Oak Park Neighborhood, as well as Biloxi City
Councilmen, City of Biloxi Public Affairs, and the Biloxi Police Department.
Notifications are sent out once the Public Affairs Office for the 81st Training
Wing is notified of the tests, which is generally three to four days from the
testing.
Source: http://www.nfpa.org/
Findings
Generator testing creates noise that has resulted in noise complaints
from residents in the Oak Park neighborhood.
Keesler AFB must comply with AFI 32‐1062 for the operation and
maintenance of generators.
Keesler AFB must comply with UFC 4‐510‐01 for the type and location
of generators for Military Medical Facilities.
Keesler AFB Public Affairs Office for the 81st Training Wing has
procedures in place for addressing and documenting noise
complaints.
Keesler AFB Public Affairs Office for the 81st Training Wing releases
notifications when the generators are scheduled to be tested.
Due to the nature of operations at Keesler AFB, the Public Affairs Office for
the 81st Training Wing follows the Public Affair Operating Instructions 35‐5,
which outlines procedures for noise complaints that are generated from
aircraft and procedures for non‐aircraft noise complaints. These procedures
follow the same notification and feedback steps as for aircraft complaints,
which are to call the complainant back and inform them of any steps taken
and information discovered regarding the noise. These actions are recorded
in the Public Affairs activities log. This action is used to track complaints and
to ensure that appropriate measures are taken for each complaint.
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Background Report