Due to forecast extreme high temperatures and heat indices this week, Fort Riley has postponed the installation wide power outage, referred to as Black Start. The planned power outage had been scheduled for Wednesday, July 26. Black Start will be rescheduled to a later date.
Fort Riley will hold its annual full-scale exercise July 26, as planned, but the exercise will not include shutting off power to the installation. The annual full-scale exercise tests Fort Riley’s emergency preparedness and provides training for the post and community partners involved in the exercise.
During the full-scale exercise Wednesday, Fort Riley residents, employees, and community members can expect an increase in emergency response traffic on post and multiple emergency notifications, including “Giant Voice” loudspeaker announcements. The Grant Access Control Point will be closed July 26 as part of the full-scale exercise.
Black Start was designed to test the installation’s emergency and standby energy generation systems, key infrastructure, and equipment. Congress has mandated that the Department of Defense services test the ability to operate without power in an emergency.
