Courtesy Photo | Isaac Newman, right, director of the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency’s Medical...... read more read more
TRACY, Calif. -- Just in time for the holiday season, the workforce at the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency’s medical maintenance facility in Tracy will be receiving a welcomed gift in the form of a more spacious and modernized building.
The relocation at Tracy Defense Distribution Depot will enable Medical Maintenance Operations Division-Tracy, or MMOD-Tracy, to expand its mission capability. It also allows for the consolidation of the facility under one roof, with an additional 140,000 square feet of functional warehouse storage and workspace.
The added space will better position MMOD-Tracy to continue serving as the technical center of excellence for the Army’s medical imaging equipment and what’s known as Special Purpose (medical) Test, Measurement and Diagnostic Equipment, or SP-TMDE.
SP-TMDE is used to calibrate medical devices, similarly to other TMDE systems used to support other commodities such as communications or weapons systems.
“Over time, and through normal usage, materiel stress and changes in temperature can affect the reliability of equipment readings for all medical devices, potentially compromising patient safety and quality of patient care,” said Ian McNesby, production controller at MMOD-Tracy. “TMDE is utilized in calibration of such medical devices and provides biomedical equipment specialists with the means to perform corrective actions and adjustments to ensure these devices are operating within original equipment manufacturer specifications.”
Bret Mower, facilities director for U.S. Army Medical Logistics Command, USAMMA’s mission command headquarters, said the 171,000-square-foot building, known as Building 6, was previously used by the Defense Logistics Agency, which recently vacated the space. It also includes another 71,000 square feet of secure, paved area for outside equipment storage and maintenance.
The move is expected to be completed by early December.
“This modernized building provides space to expand capabilities, meet future space needs and improve overall amenities,” Mower said. “It’s really a win-win.”
MMOD-Tracy’s current operation has been split between three outdated buildings that are poorly configured for workflow. The buildings, which date back to the 1940s, lack adequate storage, sprinkler coverage, insulation, and updated heating and cooling systems.
The existing building infrastructure was not practical or economical to modernize as a long-term solution and failed to meet physical security requirements, which prompted AMLC to seek other options, Mower said.
MMOD-Tracy is one of two units that handle TMDE support activities within AMLC. MMOD-Tracy takes care of all operations within the continental U.S., as well as U.S. Army Pacific and U.S. Army South. U.S. Army Medical Materiel Center-Europe in Germany, another AMLC direct reporting unit, handles TMDE needs outside the continental U.S.
“Without this capability, the Army would see a significant increase in sustainment maintenance costs and turnaround time, while potentially incurring additional risk to patient care by utilizing alternate vendors for calibration and repair support,” said Isaac Newman, director of MMOD-Tracy.
In the 2020-2021 fiscal year, MMOD-Tracy calibrated almost 2,000 pieces of SP-TMDE.
With more space in their new building, MMOD-Tracy will be able to bring its TMDE lab under the same roof as the rest of its medical maintenance operation, creating efficiencies and less downtime to better support the warfighter.
“Production flow will vastly improve as we no longer have to push carts full of equipment in and out of the buildings over uneven terrain or during inclement weather, creating the potential for damage to customer equipment,” said Ralph Constantino, MMOD-Tracy’s TMDE lab supervisor.
The highly skilled workforce at MMOD-Tracy is eager and excited to move into their new space.
“I look forward to the growth we can make as an organization,” said Anthony Zapantha, inventory manager, “more people, job opportunities and to overall improve as a center of excellence.”
| Date Taken: | 11.17.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 11.17.2022 15:06 |
| Story ID: | 433471 |
| Location: | TRACY, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 96 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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