“Hustlin’ Huskers” Takes On Added Meaning When Nebraska Air National Guard Firefighters Conduct Live Fire Training Exercise

LINCOLN, NE, UNITED STATES

06.13.2017

Story by Airman 1st Class Jamie Titus 

155th Air Refueling Wing, Nebraska Air National Guard

When the weather turns hot and humid with temperatures hovering in the 90s, one’s first thought isn’t to run into a burning aircraft.
However, members of the 155th Civil Engineering Fire Department did exactly that when they took part in a live burn training exercise, June 3-4, at the Nebraska National Guard air base in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The simulation allowed the 155th Air Refueling Wing firefighters to experience a life-like aircraft fire while teaching them their positions and knowing what they’re supposed to be doing. The exercise, which is part of an annual certification requirement, also helps the Air Guardsmen practice safety techniques, such as hustling – not running -- to the aircraft.
According to exercise officials, firefighters are cautioned against running toward the fire because it can cause them to have tunnel-vision, thus preventing their ability to understand the full situation they are presented with.
For the firefighters, this training allows them to practice every aspect of aircraft firefighting such as cutting, fire attack, and search and rescue said Tech. Sgt. Adam Schaaf, a crew chief in the 155th CEF.
“Everybody is going to take something a little different and it just all depends on the stage that you are at in your Air Guard fire career, so a lot of people who have just gotten in are going to take away really good live fire training, feeling the heat and just getting used to seeing how the fire behaves in certain situations,” said Schaaf.
“For me, I take away just trying to be better at organizing, motivating, encouraging, teaching and just trying to pull everybody together and finding where everybody’s at and meet those needs so that we can just keep going each year and get better and better and then the individuals that are ready to step up to more of a leadership role, getting them ready for that,” he added.
Along with learning their positions, the exercise helps teach the participating firefighter how to gain entry, put out fires, look for victims, search the inside of the aircraft, know how to turn off the engine, turn off batteries and get people out, said Tech. Sgt. Jason Loch, a firefighter with the 155th CEF.
“I think that it’s getting your hands on the equipment, being comfortable with the equipment, and knowing its limitations,” said Loch.
Firefighters begin with modulating. This is a procedure in which firetrucks circle the burning aircraft and dowse it with water. Modulating helps the firefighters to assess the situation, figure out what kind of fire they are dealing with, as well as any other distractions that may be in the area said Loch.
Then they practice entering the aircraft and rescuing a mannequin for the purpose of practicing search and rescue. This allows them to practice repetition and gain muscle memory since hands-on practice is the best way for them to learn and enhance their skills, said Loch.
Training like this is not uncommon for the firefighters since they must be certified in all areas of their career.
“There’s always training; we have so many certificates that we have to keep on,” said Loch. “We’re not just firefighters…we are (also) emergency medical technicians, we deal with hazardous materials, we do swift water rescue, we do wildland (firefighting)… there are all these other things that you have to go to school for that require so many hours a year to keep up, to be able to provide that service.”
With every bit of training, the firefighters ready themselves for any situation that may come knowing that the more they train, the more prepared they will be when an actual fire occurs.
“We pride ourselves that when the Nebraska Air National Guard Fire Department comes around, we hustle, we get the job done, we push hard, we work hard,” said Schaaf.

• Date Taken: 06.13.2017
• Date Posted: 12.12.2017 16:03
• Story ID: 258520
• Location: LINCOLN, NE, US