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What’s the status? How weather affects workday

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  • By Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., --  During this time of year, there is an ever-present threat of severe winter weather striking in the Oklahoma City area.

Tinker officials continually monitor the weather situation and, if warranted, issue the appropriate change to Tinker's operating status.

It is important to remember two key points about the base operating status. The first is that the operating status remains "open" unless officially changed. This means base personnel should normally anticipate the base being open and conducting its vital national defense missions. People should plan on reporting to duty as scheduled.

The second is that official decisions on the operating status of Tinker AFB are normally made very early each duty day - between 3 and 4 a.m. This means that people should check various reporting outlets to confirm the operating status for that duty day. They should not presume that the operating status one day is the same as next. During inclement weather, personnel need to check the weather status each day.

Changes in base operating status are announced several ways.

The first source updated is the Tinker Straight Talk line at 734-1900. This automated system can accept up to 62 simultaneous phone calls.

The next source is the Tinker Public Web page. People can get detailed base operating status information on the home page at www.tinker.af.mil. Operating status information is shown on the upper-right corner of the homepage.

At the same time this information is being posted to the public web site, Public Affairs personnel are also contacting local emergency broadcast system radio and television stations. The stations are: KOKH Channel 25, KFOR Channel 4, KOCO Channel 5 and KWTV Channel 9.

The AM radio station is KTOK 1000 and FM radio stations are KKNG 93.3, KXY 96.1, KATT 100.5 or KMGL 104.1.

Please note that FOX 25 has very limited options for what can be posted on its automated scroll, so anything other than "closed" or "two-hour delay" will not show on that channel. Changes to the operating status are also posted on the Tinker Messaging System and the Commander's Access Channel 20.

There are basically four categories of base operating status. These are:

OPEN -- which means base activities occur as normal.

LATE REPORTING -- which means Tinker functions will occur as scheduled, but employees who are non-weather emergency essential personnel may arrive up to two hours late without being penalized with loss of pay or charge to leave. Employees are expected to leave for work the same time as they normally do. Delayed reporting allows supervisors to accommodate legitimate delays caused by driving conditions.

EARLY DISMISSAL/RELEASE -- means personnel may be dismissed early on a staggered basis.

CLOSED -- means personnel not deemed "weather emergency essential personnel" are excused from duty without loss of pay or charge to leave. In addition Liberal Leave may be authorized.

LIBERAL LEAVE - means Tinker AFB functions will open on time, but employees not designated as "weather emergency essential personnel" may take annual leave or leave without pay without prior approval of their supervisors. Employees must inform their supervisors if they plan to take annual leave or LWOP. If an employee fails to report for work and has not informed the supervisor of his or her plans to take leave, the organization may charge the employee absence without leave. "Weather emergency essential personnel" are expected to report for work on time. Safety is the top priority for Tinker officials and all employees. Changes in operating status are made when severe weather dictates a broad impact on driving conditions. Ultimately it is the responsibility of all Tinker employees to evaluate the weather conditions where they live and how they travel to and from work. Individual safety concerns beyond those addressed by the installation operating status should be raised with immediate supervisors.

Equally important to how people obtain information on base operating status is how they don't.

All personnel should refrain from calling agencies such as base operations, the Tinker Command Post or security forces for weather or operating status information.