RPTR CONTENDS THAT THE TWR BACK-UP BATTERY PWR SYS IS INADEQUATE TO MAINTAIN EQUIP FOR MORE THAN 2 HRS BECAUSE OF THE ICSS. RPTR STATES THAT WITHOUT ICSS THE RADIO EQUIP SHOULD BE SATISFACTORY FOR 2 DAYS; BUT THE SYS IS POWERED THROUGH THE ICSS CAUSING THE EXCESSIVE PWR DRAIN.

Narrative

DURING THE NIGHT PRIOR TO MAY/XX/96; A STORM CAUSED A PWR OUTAGE. THE BATTERY BACK-UPS FOR ICSS EQUIP AND EMER LIGHTING WERE DEPLETED BEFORE THE TWR WAS SCHEDULED TO OPEN AT XA00. THE TWR REMAINED CLOSED UNTIL PARTIAL PWR WAS RESTORED AT XH20 BECAUSE CTLRS WERE UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER FACILITIES (CTR OR APCH) AND ONLY HAD MARGINALLY USEFUL EMER TRANSCEIVERS FOR ACFT COMS. THE LAWTON ATCT ICSS EQUIP HAS MINIMAL (LESS THAN 2 HRS) BATTERY BACK-UP. DURING AN EXTENDED PWR OUTAGE; LAWTON ATCT LOSES THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RECEIVERS AND XMITTERS AND ALL INTERPHONE CAPABILITY WHEN THE ICSS BATTERIES ARE DEPLETED. (THE RADIOS HAVE OVER 2 DAYS OF BATTERY BACK-UP BUT CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT THE ICSS.) WHEN THE ICSS BATTERIES ARE DEPLETED; LAWTON ATCT IS REDUCED TO ONE COMMERCIAL PHONE LINE; ONE UHF EMER TRANSCEIVER AND ONE VHF EMER TRANSCEIVER. BOTH TRANSCEIVERS HAVE LIMITED BATTERY AND RANGE. THE LACK OF PWR PREVENTS SAFE OR ADEQUATE SVC DURING AN EXTENDED COMMERCIAL PWR OUTAGE. SOLUTION: 1) INSTALL A PWR GENERATOR FOR CRITICAL EQUIP. 2) CONNECT CRITICAL EQUIP TO THE GENERATOR THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING USED EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE FIRE ALARM SYS. 3) MODIFY BATTERY BACK-UP TO INSURE 24 OR MORE HRS OF SVC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT A UCR WAS FILED THROUGH THE BARGAINING UNIT SAFETY OFFICER BECAUSE OF THE OUTAGE AND LACK OF BACK-UP GENERATOR PWR. SINCE THIS INCIDENT; THE AF SECTOR HAS STARTED A PROJECT TO REWIRE THE TWR EQUIP THROUGH THE GENERATOR THAT PWRS THE FIRE ALARM SYS. THIS PROJECT IS TO BE COMPLETED BY JUL/XX/96. THE RPTR CLAIMS THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST FIFTY OTHER LEVEL 1 AND 2 TWRS IN THE NAS SYS WHO DO NOT HAVE ENG GENERATORS; AND HAVE ONLY THE SAME BATTERY BACK-UP THAT WILL LAST ONLY 2 HRS.