Mission Spotlight: HVAC/R technicians keep Airmen cool

by Airman 1st Class Deana Heitzman
31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

2/27/2014 - AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy -- Every day, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration technicians contribute to a positive work atmosphere for Airmen by maintaining HVAC systems throughout Aviano.

By properly maintaining the more than 1,700 HVAC systems here, technicians are able to reduce the risk of extreme temperature changes in work centers, which helps maintain a more productive work experience for all Team Aviano.

"A lot of our job is quality of life," said Master Sgt. Christopher Cluff, 31st Civil Engineer Squadron NCO in charge of HVAC/R. "In general, people do not want to work in a cold or hot environment, and this could potentially affect the overall mission due to Airmen experiencing uncomfortable working conditions."

While helping to ensure Team Aviano stays cool and comfortable, HVAC/R personnel also work around the clock to ensure important communications equipment stays properly ventilated.

"Our primary concerns are the communication buildings that contain rooms filled with electronics including instrument landing systems," said Cluff. "These electronics produce massive amounts of heat and it is our job to provide the right amount of air conditioning so nothing overheats. If it overheats, they would shut down and not work."

Electronics temperatures should be maintained at less than 85 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Cluff. When electronics starts exceeding that threshold, the communication squadron begins to shut down equipment, which can cause the base to lose connectivity. It is up to the HVAC/R team to maintain the temperature so the base can continue to communicate effectively.

The HVAC/R team receives 20 to 30 work orders daily, ranging from lack of hot water in a building to emergency requests for communication buildings. The challenging part of processing all the daily work orders is finding the available Airmen for the job.

According to Cluff, there are only 13 qualified HVAC/R technicians for the more than 1,700 facilities throughout Aviano, which can be overwhelming at times.

"Due to lack of manning we try to focus on emergencies, preventative maintenance and anything that directly affects the base," said Cluff. "We ask people to generally understand that even though they may be uncomfortable in their offices for a while, we still have Airmen taking care of jobs day-in and day-out."

Even though HVAC/R technicians experience long working days, they gain knowledge and a sense of brotherhood from constantly working together on projects.

"I enjoy the camaraderie between the Airmen in the shop," said Cluff. "I love to see the difference our Airmen make to the base on a day-to-day basis. When they come back at the end of the day after completing the job, the look of satisfaction on their faces makes my job easier and moves toward completing our mission."