MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Base recovery efforts are progressing with positive results. As of 4 p.m. today, September 11, housing and dormitory residents are authorized access to the base and their homes.
To combat rumors, the base did not take down power during the storm; however, the base did lose power for a short period of time last night. Please report damage to either housing maintenance (privatized housing) or Civil Engineering customer service (lodging).
Additionally, the base will continue recovery operations throughout the week. Reach out to your chain of command to determine reporting instructions for your specific unit.
We recognize that many of you travelled a long distance to mitigate impact of Hurricane Irma. The evacuation order is officially terminated, and we ask that you begin returning to MacDill. We cannot emphasize enough that safety is paramount. As you proceed to the installation from your location, ensure your travel route is clear and utilize the various gas status apps for fuel stops. We have no doubt the same challenges you faced evacuating will also exist on your return trips.
Keep in mind, due to limited capacity the Dale Mabry Gate will be the only base access point until tomorrow morning. Additionally, limited on-base services will be available. We are working with AAFES and DeCA to get the Base Exchange and Commissary open. We are also focusing on opening the base dining facility for services. Unfortunately, functions such as the youth center, child development center, lodging, outdoor recreation, FAMCAMP, golf, fitness center, and other service related activities will not be open.
We appreciate your patience and partnership as we focus on restoring the installation to full mission capability. Please report installation damage to CE customer service at (813) 828-4531.