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CFE-DMHA Observes Completion of New Location's Renovations in Hawaii
Story Number: NNS130627-17
6/27/2013

By Sila Manahane, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (NNS) -- The Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (CFE-DMHA) held a ribbon cutting ceremony June 26 to celebrate renovations of Ford Island's historic Bldg. 76 at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH).

"This is an exciting day for us," said CFE Director Pam Milligan. "This historic building, on this lovely and historic site, offers a new beginning for the Center which is in the process of re-engineering itself to fill an expanded role in building regional civil-military disaster management capacity. We expect it will enhance our capability and assist us in our efforts."

The CFE-DMHA Ribbon Cutting ceremony's program included comments from the organization's Director, Pamela Milligan; U.S. Pacific Command's Deputy Commander, Lt. Gen. Thomas Conant; and Chief of Staff for the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Peter Verga. Kahu David Patterson provided the traditional Hawaiian blessing of the land, building, employees and visitors who will enter the new facility.

Attendees included personnel moving into the building who were joined by congressional representatives, staff from U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) and component headquarters, CFE partner organizations, Navy and Air Force military and civilian personnel, FOPCO Inc. employees, and a special guest, Jennifer Sabas, the late Senator Daniel Inouye's former chief of staff.

"No matter where we travel, no matter who we talk to, one theme that comes up from our 36 nations across the Pacific is that they want expertise, they want help with that intellectual discovery that comes with how you manage humanitarian assistance and how your think about training and educating the workforce, the government and the people," said U.S. Pacific Command's Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. Thomas Conant. "This is what the Center for Excellence is all about and why I am so passionate about it."

Efforts to assist the CFE-DMHA move to Ford Island came from the late Senator Daniel K. Inouye's understanding about the organization's mission to aid in humanitarian relief and recognizing its impact on a global scale. His leadership in congress drove the project to fruition and resulted in a facility that will enhance the Center's capability, create a better working environment for its personnel and at the same time save a historic structure on Pearl Harbor.

Bldg. 76 was built in 1940 under the architectural guidance of notable architecture firm, C.W. Dickey, and served as a naval medical facility on Ford Island. During the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor over 960 wounded sailors and airmen and 452 casualties were admitted over a three-hour period. The original structure withstood a bomb dropped on that fateful day that exploded its courtyard at the center of the facility. It also has battled weathering conditions throughout the years.

Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Hawaii awarded the task order for $6.4 million to a Kapolei-based building servicing company, FOPCO Inc., in June 2011. The renovation project was initiated on September 2011.

It also received various energy enhancements such as photovoltaic (PV) roof-mounted panels, automatic dimming interior lights, occupancy sensors, low-flow plumbing fixtures and advanced metering for utilities which are projected to save 42 percent in energy savings per year. These improvements are intended to place the building on U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) list of internationally-recognized "green" building certification system - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver.

"This facility will improve the quality of life for CFE staff, and increase mission capability, said CFE's Deputy Director for Plans and Partnerships Doug Wallace. "For the first time we will have our own on-site classroom, enhanced VTC conferencing capability, and the buildings optimal energy efficiency design will ensure greatly reduced utility costs."

Personnel will start moving into the renovated building immediately following the ribbon cutting ceremony.

CFE-DMHA was established by Congress in 1994 and is a direct-reporting unit of the USPACOM. Its mission is to enhance civil-military preparedness and response through collaborative partnerships, applied research, education and training.

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