Tinian firefighters, aided by Marines,clench certification

Photo By Cpl. Joseph Karwick | Cpl. Christopher M. Perry, an Aircraft Rescue Firefighter with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, Marine Aircraft Group 12, and a Tinian firefighter carry simulated injury victims to a staging area during an evaluation for the Tinian firefighters. The Marines were participating in Exercise Geiger Fury 2012 and offered their services to their local counterparts.  

TINIAN, NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS

05.17.2012

Story by Lance Cpl. Joseph Karwick 

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni

TINIAN, Northern Mariana Islands - Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Marines assisted Tinian International Airport rescue firefighters, May 17, 2012, during a federal government performance evaluation conducted for airport personnel.

The Marines, from Marine Aircraft Group 12 based out of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, are currently on Tinian participating in Exercise Geiger Fury 2012.

Though the Marines have a lot of work to do, they were still able to help their fellow firefighters.

“The Marines were great. They were all over the place, running and assisting us in whatever we needed,” said Jush U. Sanchez, Tinian ARFF and police force sergeant. “One of the simulated injured ran all the way down the runway and one of the Marines chased him down and reassured him that everything was going to be OK.”

Tinian firefighters aided by Marines graded fellow ARFF personnel on their performance.

The evaluation has a major impact on safety and operational capacity of Tinian International Airport.

“The Federal Aviation Administration requires us to take this exam every three years in order to make sure our firefighters are prepared for any situation or emergency that may occur,” said Joseph M. Mendiola, Tinian International Airport manager. “If they do not get this qualification, then our airport cannot function within the safety parameters set down by the FAA .”

The airport firefighters enjoyed having the Marines assistance during the exercise.

“I’ve enjoyed working with them and getting to see more of the civilian way of firefighting,” said Cpl. Christopher M. Perry, MWSS-171, ARFF crew chief. “They did a great job and we were happy to help them out.”

The Marines and local firefighters completed the exercise with great results in a quick, efficient manner and dismissed the more than 40 simulated victims.

• Date Taken: 05.17.2012
• Date Posted: 05.30.2012 22:46
• Story ID: 89207
• Location: TINIAN, MP