Photo By Staff Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh | Spc. Graydon Irish, Spc. Justin Wilkinson and Spc. Kyle Vanatta, firefightersr with...... read more read more
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December 3, 2020 (CAMP RIPLEY, Minn.) — In preparation for their deployment to Romania in 2021, the 1051st Fire Fighter Tactical Group conducted training with Central Lakes College at Camp Ripley, Minnesota, November 30 through December 4, 2020.
Sgt. Jared Rubel, the station chief with the Montana National Guard’s 1051st Fire Fighting Tactical Group, Rubel said it was great to have to opportunity to come to Camp Ripley.
“Camp so far has been amazing, we aren’t used to a base this large,” Rubel said. “The barracks we use [back home] do not have a kitchen or offices or anything like that. We can do all our training here without having to shuttle everybody back and forth to the different courses.”
The training involves eight deployment-mandatory congruently running courses for the soldiers. Each course is designed for different levels of soldiers. At the conclusion of each course, the soldiers will take a nationally recognized test to get certified through The Pro Board.
The noncommissioned officers are completing Fire Inspector and Fire Officer courses. While the lower enlisted are taking Mobile Water Supply, Pumper Operator, and a Driving Course.
Spc. Justin Wilkinson, a nozzleman for the 1051st FFTG explains how the course will benefit the unit.
“Once you pull up on scene, the first thing you have to do is establish water supply,” Wilkinson said. “The truck is designed to increase the water pressure because every hundred feet of hose, there is friction loss. The pump turns the water into a higher pressure so we can fight fire. We are training to be able to operate that pump and learn how to direct pressure based on how much hose is out.”
Eric Makowski, of Central Lakes College, led the unit’s training. “It’s a fun group,” he said. “They are very energetic.”
The unit’s main mission, as Rubel said is to respond to wildfires, structural fires, natural disasters, as well as car crashes on base. Once deployed, the main mission will be structural fires such as house or dumpster fires on post.
The training completed here on Camp Ripley will ensure each soldier is fully certified to operate the fire trucks. It will also help the unit to better understand how to run a fire station.
“At home, we have our unit, battalion, brigade, and everyone we know to help us through things,” Rubel said. “While we are over there, it’s just going to be us and firefighting groups we have never met before. The training will make it better, not only from a certification standpoint of being qualified to do our jobs but also having the knowledge to do it.”
| Date Taken: | 12.04.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 12.07.2020 10:20 |
| Story ID: | 384353 |
| Location: | LITTLE FALLS, MN, US |
| Web Views: | 53 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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