Big E's Ventilation Tiger Team Keeps the Ship Cool
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS060726-15
Release Date: 7/26/2006 1:55:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class N.C. Kaylor, USS Enterprise Public Affairs
ABOARD USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Enterprise (CVN 65) set up a working party of Sailors in July to perform corrective and preventive maintenance on the nearly 600 cooling coils aboard the ship.
The Ventilation Tiger Team was set up to help keep the ship's spaces cool during the summer months while the ship continues her six-month deployment.
Chief Warrant Officer John Gilbert, Enterprise’s repair officer and officer in charge of the A/C filter cleaning tiger team, assembled a team of Sailors from various departments aboard.
Personnel Specialist 2nd Class Earl Washington, tiger team member from executive department, said the point is to make the ship cooler.
“We’re trying to improve the quality of air and lower the general temperature of the ship by doing a lot of corrective maintenance on A/C units all over the ship,” said Washington. “It improves the quality of life because if a Sailor is hot and uncomfortable, it’s harder for him to concentrate on the mission at hand.”
Airman Apprentice Chad Smart, tiger team member from weapons department, agreed with Washington, and also said a cool Sailor is a happy one.
“As the XO (executive officer) told us, ‘It’s a great way to keep up the morale of the ship,’” said Smart. “Keeping everybody cool and relaxed is really important right now.”
The tiger team is also training damage control petty officers (DCPO) how to properly clean A/C coils.
“What we’ve been finding throughout all the fan rooms is neglect by the DCPOs and divisions on their quarterly and semi-annual PMS [Preventive Maintenance System], which cleans the filter and the coils,” said Gilbert. “It’s similar to cleaning the coils and filters in your central air system at your house. People go to Lowe’s or Home Depot and replace a filter to keep the air clean and keep their A/C unit working efficiently and effectively.”
The usual issues with air conditioning are the cooling coils and the filters. If Sailors accomplish the proper maintenance at the correct time, the ship will be a cooler place.
“Here we are in the same hot and humid weather we were four to five weeks ago, and due to Operation Deep Freeze and the Ventilation Tiger Team, the ship is much cooler,” said Gilbert.
According to Gilbert, the team has cleaned 230 out of 600 coils aboard Enterprise.
“Our task is to clean every one of them in six to eight weeks and to create a baseline for the ship,” said Gilbert. “This way, the DCPOs can take them back over and maintain it the way they should.”
If there’s a simple problem with the A/C, Sailors from the tiger team fix the issue with style, grace and sometimes even garden hoses.
“Usually, all we have to do is take a garden hose or an air hose and we spray out all the coils to clean out the build-up,” said Smart.
Every day is different for the tiger team. They work long hours, but they always get the job done.
“We work from [7 a.m.] to about [10 p.m.], but we work until the job is done,” said Smart. “One night we worked until 2 a.m.”
Washington said the team’s leaders give them the support they need to correct any issues.
“The executive officer actually came out, talked to us before we started, and gave us his stamp of approval,” said Washington. “Warrant Officer Gilbert has been great, and so have our chiefs. Whenever any of us need any type of support, they’re there for us.”
Thanks to the Ventilation Tiger Team, Sailors are breathing cleaner, cooler air, and can concentrate on Enterprise’s mission of carrying out prompt and sustained combat operations from the sea.
For related news, visit the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/cvn65/.
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