Communicators' crisis response team wins Air Force award for Katrina actions Published Nov. 13, 2006 By Staff Sgt. Lee Smith 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The 81st Communications Squadron's crisis response team earned an Air Force communications and information award for its support of Keesler during Hurricane Katrina. The Gen. Edwin Rawlings Award for 2005 recognizes a team that performs one-time, nonrecurring special acts associated with special projects, process improvements, short- or longterm endeavors that significantly improve communications and information support to Air Force and/or Department of Defense missions and operations. Keesler's team, comprised of four Air Force specialty codes and seven different ranks, provides vital technical skills before, during and after a disaster. Among the team's accomplishments: Assisted in assessing infrastructure damage and securing $4.5 million for sustaining assets. Coordinated shutdown of servers during flooding of Keesler Medical Center. Saved 39 different pieces of communications equipment in 13 different offices, saving $12,000 in damages. Transformed shelter areas into workplaces by installing 19 network drops for 2nd Air Force. Kept network operations running for the crisis action team, resolving 57 customer problems in two days while sheltered. Enabled doctors to talk with the CAT after flooding killed the medical center's remote telephone switch, helping doctors coordinate patient care and arrange evacuation of critical care patients. Restored network services to 23 Keesler facilities within one hour of power restoration, enabling units to return to full operations. Kept DSN telephone lines active when technicians pumped four feet of water out of the cable vault for nine hours so the 81st Training Wing could verify the safety of 6,006 personnel sheltered in seven facilities and maintain the link to Air Staff and major commands. Worked with the local postmasters for alternate delivery of mail and restored 100 percent postal service six weeks after the storm. Maintained network services for the entire wing, despite the hurricane lifting the roof of the 81st CS facility six inches.Helped the 97th Air Expeditionary Group begin essential support of the Joint Task Force Katrina mission, assisting more than 7,000 humanitarian relief sorties flown. Created an official use call plan using four other bases, enabling the CAT to make commercial calls when local service failed. Rewired CAT electrical room to restore power when the generator failed. Installed communications for expeditionary medical support tent. Rewired a building slated for demolition to help restore critical military personnel flight functions.