October Innovator of the Month named

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RAF ALCONBURY, United Kingdom --  The 501st Combat Support Wing recently named the Innovator of the Month for October.

Sylvan Duncan, 423rd Civil Engineer Squadron, was recognized for identifying the need to discontinue several maintenance services for housing units that have been declared surplus and are vacant. The total savings for the government will be more than $280,000.

RAF Alconbury must divest 82 housing units. This process may take 24-36 months to complete. During that process most units will be emptied through attrition and left vacant. Currently 51 units are vacant and that number will continue to grow until the divestment is finalized. Normally houses receive a monthly fire alarm check and water systems are flushed weekly to prevent Legionella disease, so they are maintained in a state ready for occupancy. By law the flushing is required weekly when the property is not occupied. One of the innovations was to drain down the systems to be able to legally discontinue the weekly flushing.

Discontinuing these unnecessary maintenance on these buildings until immediately prior to divesture will save money and reduce water use. The housing units have been drained of water so there is no requirement to flush the water lines to prevent Legionella disease. The testing of smoke alarms has been discontinued. The houses will be refilled with water and the systems will be tested just prior to return of the houses to the Ministry of Defence.