JBLM, Western Region Retail, LG and Others Provide Crucial Support

Western Region leaders are sending Joint Base Lewis-McChord Exchange associates and the Western Region Retail Team to support the Fairchild AFB Exchange after 11 Fairchild associates were affected by wildfires near the installation late last week.

Although all Fairchild associates have been accounted for, as of Saturday afternoon, only three of the 11 had been allowed to return to their homes. Fairchild is in the Spokane area in the eastern part of Washington, about 300 miles from JBLM.

Western Region Senior Vice President Ronny Rexrode and Northwest Area Vice President Carrie Cammel said Saturday afternoon that they were working to mobilize associates from JBLM to help run the Fairchild Exchange as affected associates focus on their families and next steps.

Store and distribution center teams are accelerating merchandise shipments, including masks, air filters, boxed fans and 16 pallets of bottled water, to Fairchild.

“Merchandise from McChord is already at the Lewis Main Store and getting ready to be loaded,” Cammel said Saturday afternoon.

One team of motor vehicle operators was scheduled to leave the West Coast Distribution Center on Saturday afternoon to transport a trailer to Fairchild, and another planned to pick up supplies from Fort Lewis on Saturday night.

About 9 a.m. Pacific time on Sunday, Spokane-area website Big Country News reported that the fire, called the Gray Fire, had burned more than 10,000 acres and was 10% contained. The fire started west of Medical Lake, a city in Spokane County that is roughly an 11-mile drive from Fairchild. The fire damaged at least 185 structures, CNN reported, citing the Department of Natural Resources.

On Saturday morning, a post on the Fairchild Exchange’s Facebook page announced that its Express would have free roller grill items, fountain beverages and coffee for anyone in the Fairchild community who was displaced or in billeting because of the fires.

News of the fire happened as the Western Region team was keeping an eye on Hurricane Hilary, which was headed toward Baja California in Mexico and expected to cause flash-flood risks at Exchanges in Southern California, southwestern Arizona and Nevada.

During a Disaster Support Group (DSG) meeting Saturday morning, Merchandise and Logistics teams said they were well-prepared to support stores that could be affected by the storm.

On Saturday, Fort Irwin Garrison Command ordered that all Fort Irwin facilities be closed on Sunday—except for a 24-hour Express with gas pumps. According to Western Region’s West Coast Area Vice President Robert Rice, the installation had secured refrigeration/freezer units to house all perishable food in case of a power outage. The Fort Irwin Exchange team was working during the weekend to move high-demand items to the Express.

Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull lauded the teams’ ability to rally support quickly during challenging situations.

“Your leadership, focus on safety and outrageous sense of urgency truly set the high bar,” Shull said. “Each of you exemplify the Exchange’s core values in your steadfast service. I am honored to be your teammate.”