Water Rapid Response Team Stand-Up

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Engineering Working Group is organizing trained teams to address any water quality concerns residents may have after their zones are declared safe by the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH).

The Rapid Response Teams are on-call 24 hours a day to respond to water concerns that may arise after the Hawaii DOH issues amended health advisories. Residents can call any of the emergency services operations centers, which will dispatch a team to investigate. Each response team is comprised of two service members trained in water quality field investigation procedures by NAVFAC.

“The purpose of the Rapid Response Team is to be a resource for the residents to contact if they have immediate concerns,” said Lt. Cmdr. Richard Forney, Rapid Response Team officer in charge.

According to Forney, many water quality concerns can be resolved over the phone. If an issue cannot be resolved by phone to a resident’s satisfaction, a team will visit the home and investigate.

“After initial screening, the emergency services operations center will schedule a response team to address the issue at the resident’s earliest convenience,” said Forney. “That team will go to the home to address the concerns of residents.”

An on-site response team will discuss all water concerns with the resident and evaluate the water in the home. The team will determine any necessary follow-up actions after evaluation, to include flushing the home and sampling the water for testing.

To contact the Rapid Response Team, call the Emergency Services Operations Center at the following numbers (808) 448-3262/2557/2570/2583 or email: jpbhh-water-response@navy.mil

For general project information, news and updates visit: http://www.navy.mil/jointbasewater