Flying Squad: First to Fight

UNITED STATES

12.12.2023

Story by Seaman Amber Speer 

USS WASP (LHD 1)   

Heavy black and yellow boots hit the ground with a slosh. Their feet were frozen with a sudden rush of icy water. The ballast tank, a compartment used to provide hydrostatic stability to the ship, was open. Now, the space was flooding, and as the water, now tinted brown with fuel, rose and flowed into the ventilation, more spaces began to flood too.
The flying squad, named for their quick response time, had to know what to do. As the water poured over from the tank, they knew if they did not work fast, they were going to lose a space. From Damage Controlman 3rd Class Michael Kurey to Aviation Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class Colton Kirby, the fast-acting Sailors on the scene were determined to put their heads together and stop the water.
Without fail, the members of the esteemed flying squad respond to the bells indicating a casualty within minutes: fire¬, flooding, toxic gas. Every Sailor is a firefighter, but the flying squad is made up of the best.
“Our goal is to get to the scene of any casualty and stop it right then and there before it spreads to the rest of the ship,” said Chief Damage Controlman Christy Edwards, fire marshal aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp.
The job is not an easy one. Not every vessel is the same, so even the most experienced Sailors need to brush up on the basics with each new command they arrive at. Understanding the inner workings of an individual ship is vital to being proficient in damage control.
“You need to be very knowledgeable about your ship,” said Kurey, a member of the flying squad for two years. “We’re the first people on the scene, and we have to know every different angle from which you can attack a casualty.”
The flying squad was created for the damage controlman, a rate specifically trained to be first responders in preventing and stopping accidents throughout the ship.
It is not only damage controlmen that can be members of the flying squad, though. Sailors of every rating are welcomed and encouraged to join the elite squadron of firefighters.
“You have a chance, why not do it?” said Kirby. “I have this philosophy to try to learn everything on the ship—to get as much experience as possible.”
There are a limited number of damage controlmen on any given ship. So, with the assistance of out-of-rate Sailors, the flying squad can utilize their general shipboard knowledge to find the most efficient way to battle any casualty thrown their way.
“If you’re part of the initial response, you’re part of the group that stops the casualty before it really gets started,” Edwards said. “The DC division alone is not enough to have back up teams in case the fire’s out of control—it’s not enough Sailors to combat the whole ship.”
Without a full team, a casualty can become far more dangerous. It takes trust, dedication and teamwork to join in the fight. Freezing up is not an option when the ship is on the line, Kirby said. Standing face to flame with a raging fire requires the strength to fight it.
“The people who actually care are there,” Kirby said. “It takes guts and to be able to not panic under pressure. The biggest thing about the flying squad is to not crack.”
The importance of the flying squad shows when the bells ring. It takes moments to lose a space to fire, flood or toxic gas, but when instinct kicks in, the members of the flying squad are always to first to fight.

• Date Taken: 12.12.2023
• Date Posted: 02.28.2024 20:34
• Story ID: 462892
• Location: US