Photo By Staff Sgt. Billy Topaz | Firefighters with the 1051st Firefighting Tactical Group enter an aircraft as part of...... read more read more
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, MONT.-In preparation for their deployment to Romania in 2021, the 1049th-1052nd Firefighter Detachment conducted their live burn training for aircraft and structure, an annual requirement for all firefighter units, at Malmstrom Air Force Base (AFB), Montana on July 29 and July 30.
Sgt. Jared Rubel, the team chief of the 1051st Fire Fighter Tactical Group, Rubel said it was nice seeing everyone get certified on live burns as well as having hands on training that can’t be conducted at their home station due to minimal resources being available.
The training conducted on Malmstrom AFB allowed Rubel to notice the small issues while his team was able to address and take action to solve problems, assess critically, and mitigate training issues.
Sgt. Nicholas Evola, the crew leader for the 1051st FFTG, claimed that with the success of the live burn training a basic, yet strong, baseline has been established for how the 1051st operates.
Evola said Standard Operating Guidelines (SOG) were heavily utilized in their training because the freedom allowed everyone to anticipate what was likely to happen in either the aircraft burn or structure burn, which allowed them to maneuver better.
The SOG is always changing and the firefighters are always learning something new, said Evola. Whether that’s when a new soldier from the fire academy joins the unit or someone shares new techniques from a civilian department.
Spc. Justin Wilkinson, the nozzleman for the 1051st FFTG, showed confidence in his crew for the upcoming deployment by stating how easy it was for everyone to adapt in order to remain effective and proficient.
“I enlisted to do my job and I’m excited to do it in a foreign country,” said Wilkinson.
As the team chief, Rubel said the 1051st will help respond to structural fires as well as any car crashes on post.
Firefighter crews are required to have the proper certifications as part of meeting the necessary qualifications prior to their training on Malmstrom AFB, including: Combat Lifesaver Course (CLS), vehicle operations, Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) and pump operator.
When not conducting live burns or basic warrior tasks and drills, the 1049th FFD uses their building to simulate a structural live burn as well as other essential firefighter skills.
In addition, hose handling techniques are practiced so the crew may become more proficient in maneuvers through a structural fire. The drivers and pump operators are given time to operate the vehicles and equipment in order to remain proficient in their roles.
Rubel briefly mentioned that crew members are assigned a specific role, but in the event that a member cannot respond to a call, all members are cross trained so the crew may still operate at a proficient capacity.
“I am thankful for my soldiers who have [excelled] today,” said Rubel.
| Date Taken: | 07.29.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 08.15.2020 20:22 |
| Story ID: | 376084 |
| Location: | MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, MT, US |
| Web Views: | 284 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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