Scary chills and thrills at civil engineers’ haunted house

Published Oct. 22, 2008
By Staff Sgt. Carlos Rodriguez
Keesler Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MISS. -- Silent Hill ... Dawn of the Dead ... Halloween (the movie) ... Keesler Air Force Base ... What is the common link? All feature terrorized citizens running for their lives from zombies and killers!

This Halloween, the faint-hearted are advised to steer clear of the former Officers Club as it's transformed into "The Asylum."

The 81st Civil Engineer Squadron, in a tradition dating back almost 25 years, are once again providing a haunted house for Keesler members this Halloween -- except this time, they've pulled out all the stops.

"This will be the last haunted house at Keesler put on by the 81st CES," said Senior Airman Christopher Freimann, a construction inspector and haunted house committee leader. "For our last haunted house, we wanted to go out with a bang."

It's the final haunted house being created by the unit, since civil engineering functions on base are being assumed by a contractor.

"This is actually the largest haunted house ever provided to Keesler," he added. "We have 2,200 square feet to work with, allowing for 14 huge rooms with unlimited possibilities. By contrast, last year we only had seven small rooms."

The idea for "The Asylum" came from a haunted house Airman Freimann visited in Colorado.

"There's always a big haunted house in downtown Denver, and I thought it would be good to try something like that here," said Airman Freimann. "Our haunted house will definitely rival the big one they have in downtown Gulfport."

Anyone expecting a garden-variety haunted house with "scares" that aren't very scary are in for a shock, though.

"You're going to encounter your worst nightmares, and we're going to take advantage of your worst fears," Airman Freimann said. "If you're not strong-willed, do not enter."

All safety precautions are in place.

"We'll post all relevant warnings and every member of the team will be in full radio contact the entire time," Airman Freimann noted.

Airman Freimann made it clear that other agencies are assisting the 81st CES.

"Because of the low manning levels in CE, the 335th Training Squadron kindly donated some students to help with the manual labor in setting up the house," said Airman Freimann. "Outdoor recreation was also very supportive and helpful."

As scary as "The Asylum" may be, Airman Freimann always had one goal in mind for the last 81st CES haunted house.

"We wanted to offer something to the members and families of Team Keesler," explained Airman Freimann. "Our haunted house is a great thing for the base and will be perfect fun for the whole family."

The Asylum opens Sunday and runs through Nov. 1.

Hours and prices vary during the week. For more information on hours and admission prices, call 377-9590.