Operations: A way of life
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On July 23, current and former operators celebrated 40 years of operations. Photo: Reidar Hahn
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A steady, consistent beep is the soundtrack of the Main Control Room in Fermilab’s accelerator complex. The metronomic resonance, not unlike a submarine, is reassuring to those who know it best: The operators. The regular tone signals that all is well with the 10 accelerators maintained, and often improved, by the Accelerator Division at Fermilab. But when the monotonous pitch is interrupted by any one of several alerts, the operators leap into action – even in the middle of the night.
Operators – the men and women who keep the accelerators running – work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Four crews rotate through three shifts every weekday, with two 12-hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday. The weekday shifts are split into day, evening and owl. Every shift is different.
At the basic understanding of their job, operators run the accelerators. But it goes further than that. Not only do they send beam to whichever experiment needs it at the moment, they also provide constant care for the accelerators. The accelerators can be brought down by storms, heat, electrical surges and even frogs.
Operators work in unique conditions.
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—Ashley WennersHerron
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