USS George Washington Flying Squad: Train like we firefight

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON, PACIFIC OCEAN

05.21.2015

Courtesy Story

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73)

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Brian Sloan

WATERS SOUTH OF JAPAN – A 1-MC drill alarm sounds regularly aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) cueing members of the ship’s flying squad response team to begin damage control and rescue training.

Flying squad members are the ship’s first line of defense against shipboard casualties.

“There always has to be someone looking after the ship,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rodrick Thomas, George Washington’s fire marshal. “The flying squad’s responsibility is to prepare for casualties that could happen at any time. If an emergency happens, they ensure that there will be qualified Sailors to respond regardless of the circumstances.”

Simulated emergencies require flying squad members to respond within minutes and seconds.

“During each drill we focus on assembling our team together and getting into our protective gear on short notice,” said Machinery Repairman 3rd Class Troy Marcotte, a flying squad member from Denver. “Then we are given a casualty to combat.”

Flying squad members never know the specifics of the drill or what role they will assume, but the unpredictability is part of the training that enhances the team’s effectiveness and accuracy during an actual casualty.

“We might practice firefighting or stopping a flood,” said Marcotte, “I can be an on-scene leader or a plug man. The training is very diverse. It is crucial to know a variety of different jobs and be ready for anything because you never know who is going to be on leave, on watch or sick when an actual casualty happens. Everyone has to be able to take charge at any time.”

Additionally, being a member of the flying squad team teaches Sailors to take charge and builds resiliency.

“Training tends to increase confidence and make better Sailors overall,” said Marcotte, “They know that if they can take charge of a hose team and neutralize a potential catastrophe, they can handle just about any obstacle.”

George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, are on patrol in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. George Washington will conduct a hull-swap with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) later this year after serving seven years as the U.S. Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier in Yokosuka, Japan.

• Date Taken: 05.21.2015
• Date Posted: 05.21.2015 22:40
• Story ID: 164193
• Location: USS GEORGE WASHINGTON, PACIFIC OCEAN