JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
Initial assessments report no injures and only minor damage on base following an earthquake in the National Capital Region Aug. 23 at about 2 p.m.
The 5.8 magnitude earthquake originated in Mineral, Va., nearly 100 miles from the base, causing only minimal mission impact.
The installation commander immediately evacuated all multi-story buildings, implemented an accountability recall and activated the emergency operations center and crisis action team.
"Our personnel have trained hard for situations like this," said Col. Ken Rizer, 11th Wing/Joint Base Andrews commander. "We are a close-knit family here at Andrews, with a mission vital to our nation's security. We take every possible step to ensure the safety of our service members and their families, while also making certain we're able to carry out our duties during difficult situations."
Team Andrews security forces members, fire and rescue teams and Civil Engineers responded immediately, ensuring the safety of personnel and inspecting buildings for damage.
"Right after the earthquake occurred, the 11th Civil Engineer Squadron stood up the Damage Control Center," said Maj. David Jokinen, 11th CE Operations Flight commander. "We really worked well with the CAT, the EOC as well as facility managers, taking in damage reports and prioritizing our responses."
The DCC assembled 10 teams that went out to inspect structures on base, assessing the integrity of the buildings and damage when present, and allowing personnel to return once the buildings were deemed safe to occupy.
Only minor damage has been reported so far and JBA seems to have come out of the earthquake relatively unscathed, Jokinen said.