Storm blows through Incirlik

by Senior Airman Nicole Sikorski
39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

9/29/2014 - INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey  -- Two severe weather storm cells collided over Adana, Turkey Sept. 27 and forced a wall of wind across the base here, leaving tons of debris in its wake.

The storm brought heavy rain and gale-force winds which up-rooted trees from the ground, aluminum siding from structures and left debris covering portions of the base. The peak wind was estimated to be 72 mph at approximately 4:30 p.m.

"The 39th Civil Engineer Squadron responded to the clean-up project immediately after the storm had hit," said Capt. Thomas Sena, 39th CES quality assurance flight commander.

"We are working to make sure that trees are removed and walkways are safe," said Sena.

Along with cleaning up debris from strewn trees, the 39th CES began making structural repairs around Incirlik AB as well.

Residents aided clean-up crews by pitching in themselves and dragging and piling debris from their yards and houses to the curbs in an effort to ease the burden on 39th CES personnel.

After the storm, Turkish and U.S. Airmen from around the base, partnered together and participated in a previously scheduled foreign object debris walk Sept. 29.

More than 350 members combined participated in the FOD walk which stretched from one side of the runway to the other including taxiways and ramps, clearing the field from any metal or large objects that could potentially be ingested by aircraft engines causing millions of dollars in damages, according to Tech. Sgt. Charles Biddulph, 39th Air Base Wing FOD prevention monitor.

"It was a great display of teamwork between U.S. Air Force and the TURAF," said Biddulph.

The last time Incirlik AB saw a storm this powerful was in 1996, when winds reached up to 69 knots, said Mehmet Birbiri, 39th Air Base Wing host nation advisor. Birbiri has worked at Incirlik for 40 years and had never seen a storm pack as much punch purely due to wind. In 1996, the storm left debris covering the base and houses were flooded.

"The force of wind that ripped through the base this time, was something I hadn't seen here before," said Birbiri. "The way this storm happened, and the damage it caused, will be one that people will not soon forget."