Jacksonville State University Planetarium Struck by Tornado

Scroll through to see photos from this case.

Dome Before Decontamination

Dome After Decontamination

Dome Before Decontamination

Dome After Decontamination

Ticker LED Panel Opened Up For Inspection And Decontamination. Some Water Spotting Identified And Removed.

Photo Of Completed LED Ticker Bars Individually Wrapped In Protective Bubble Wrap And Stored Off The Floor On A Benchtop. It Is Important That These Are Handled With Care When Moving And Avoid Stacking Anything

Dell R520 Network Server Circuitry Before Decontamination

Dell R520 Network Server Circuitry After Decontamination

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Scroll through to see photos from this case.

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Dome Before Decontamination

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Dome After Decontamination

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Dome Before Decontamination

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Dome After Decontamination

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Ticker LED Panel Opened Up For Inspection And Decontamination. Some Water Spotting Identified And Removed.

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Photo Of Completed LED Ticker Bars Individually Wrapped In Protective Bubble Wrap And Stored Off The Floor On A Benchtop. It Is Important That These Are Handled With Care When Moving And Avoid Stacking Anything

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Dell R520 Network Server Circuitry Before Decontamination

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Dell R520 Network Server Circuitry After Decontamination

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In March 2018, an EF-3 tornado hit Jacksonville State University, severely damaging 23 buildings and affecting 50 more. Martin Hall, a three-story building housing the University’s planetarium, suffered extensive roof damage above the dome causing water and roofing tar to leak onto the top of the painted perforated dome. Leaking through the perforations, the water further affected the video camera and server equipment inside the planetarium. AREPA was called in to evaluate the damage and restore the dome and equipment.

Before AREPA could perform any technical decontamination, the building first needed to be restored to a leak-free state. Due to the extensive damage that the University faced throughout its campus thus having to prioritize repairs, this took nearly a year.

While awaiting approval to go on site to perform the decontamination, AREPA, along with SERVPRO, collaborated on preplanning arrangements – specifically on the challenge of accessing the top of the dome. The solution was to cut access holes in the ceiling at the far perimeter corner of the room, which would allow the team to rig their climbing equipment. To assist in the dome decontamination, AREPA brought in a specialized ropes team from Europe that were licensed and skilled in the necessary techniques and equipment needed to hang from the rafters to perform the work.  

Due to the preplanning that occurred prior to the team’s arrival as well as the specialized team that was brought in, the project was successfully completed in only four days – faster than the original estimated completion time. AREPA successfully decontaminated the dome and all equipment that was eligible for restoration.  

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