Photo By Cpl. Joshua Pettway | Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Marines work together to put out a fire at the Air...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, S.C. -- Every Marine has a tool they know they must employ for their specific Military Occupational Specialty and Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting has a plethora of different pieces of gear essential to their success.
Many of the tools used in rescues are carried in the rescue vehicles for immediate use during emergencies, whereas the proximity bunker gear is worn during any training or emergency.
“We have a myriad of tools at our disposal to use, pretty much anything you could think of we have available in the heavy rescue vehicle,” said Lance Cpl. Dorian Conrad, a dispatcher with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron. “We also have the light rescue vehicle which is usually the first on scene due to its lighter load and speed.”
The light rescue vehicle only contains the most basic tools necessary during an accident like the ‘Jaws of Life’ or spreaders, shears, axes, and other tools. All of the rescue vehicles have some form of a first aid kit.
The LRV also goes ahead of many of the other response vehicles to provide immediate support while the heavy rescue vehicle follows to provide greater support. Each vehicle must have a certain number of Marines present to operate them.
“In both of the vehicles there is medical equipment, but we focus on rescuing and protecting, whereas the civilian firefighters have more equipment suited for treating those with injuries as well as emergency medical technicians,” said Lance Cpl. Thomas Manlove, a headline man with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron. “We have neck and back braces as well as a stretcher in the heavy rescue vehicle just in case we need to move someone safely.”
Every member of ARFF must train with their gear regularly to ensure they are capable of using it efficiently. The most important item on the gear list is the proximity bunker gear, which protects them from the elements and can withstand heat up to 1200 degrees for five minutes, according to Sgt. Kurtis Snider, the ARFF training non-commissioned officer.
Whenever ARFF is active, they must incorporate some form of equipment in order to accomplish their tasks making the gear just as important as the members.
“We cannot operate without our gear,” Snider said. “All of the gear we use is vital and none of it is something we can afford to go without whenever a crisis arises.”
Whether doing bunker drills, water survival training or hazardous material training, the Marines must employ their gear to complete their mission.
“Every piece is important in its own right, because when we go into an emergency any one of them could be a determining factor in our success,” Snider said. “We must keep everything available to prevent us from being unprepared in an emergency.”
Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting use all their gear to ensure they are safe while protecting the lives and property present on the Air Station.
| Date Taken: | 09.21.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 09.27.2010 09:14 |
| Story ID: | 57064 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 36 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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