Fire safety depends on civilian firefighters

06.24.2004

Courtesy Story

1-230th Cavalry Regiment

By Spc. Marc Loi

Much like the image of Marines raising an American flag on Iwo Jima, the image of New York City firefighters raising the flag at Ground Zero shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 is etched in the memories of Americans and like their military counterparts, firefighters have always been and continue to be a lasting symbol of service to country.

This is especially true for members of the firefighters on Camp Arifjan -- all of whom are Department of Defense contractors who were, at one time, firefighters in the military.

"Most of us are ex-military," said Desi Wade, battalion fire chief.

"We've got DoD level certification. "The relation here is that instead of working for the city, these firefighters are DoD contractors. They chose military firefighting positions over the civilian equivalent, said one firefighter, because even though they're no longer in the military, it's still something they hold on to."

Wade, for example, spent nine years in the military as a firefighter. The former staff sergeant also taught at the U.S. Military Firefighting School. In fact, one of Wade's former students, Lois Escovar, works with him along with a host of other firefighters. Though each military camp here has its own firefighting resources, Wade said the two bases with the most firefighters are the Seaport of Debarkation and Camp Arifjan.

Should the need arise for firefighters from each respective camp to provide services to other camps, all they need to do is ask. In fact, the SPOD had a fire aboard one of its ships about two months ago. After SPOD fire personnel exhausted their resources, firefighters from Camp Arifjan moved in to help fight the flames.

For Wade, this isn't done as a favor but rather, as standard operating procedure and because, much like the military, firefighting is also a community of brotherhood.

"Firefighting is a brotherhood. It doesn't matter if you're wearing blue or brown, we're going to help each other," said Wade. "We're fascinated with fires, when we see one, we're going to jump in and offer our help."

But therein lies a misconception -- firefighters only fight fires. Their jobs, however extend to more than just that. Firefighters also do safety inspections, assist Emergency Medial Technicians at accident scenes and most importantly, they also train. This is perhaps the most crucial part of the job -- because firefighters who aren't proficient at what they do cannot do the job well, and lives and equipment may be lost because of it.

Escovar, an assistant fire chief, said firefighters also save the Department of Defense money. Military buildings must adhere to certain safety codes and it is Escovar's job to ensure they do. Do it right the first time and there will be no money spent on rebuilding something that doesn't meet the standard.

As the summer months approach and the temperature rises, the challenges, too, will rise for firefighters here. However, the challenge doesn't have to do with potential fires but rather with the fatigue levels of firefighters.

"Because of the safety equipment they wear, the temperature may be 30 to 40 degrees higher for firefighters than what it would be for someone else," Wade said. The increase in temperatures, as well as other dangerous factors, may sometimes cost a firefighter his life. Much like a fallen service member, the loss of a firefighter often impacts others in the same line of work, Wade said.

"It's all the same," Wade said. "When you see a firefighter go down, you know he's paid the ultimate price for trying to help someone else."

Unlike the service member, who was named Time's Person of the Year, firefighters often go without recognition. Very seldom do they get thanks for what they do. "Until someone sees [us] providing the service, they don't realize that 'these are the guys helping us," Wade said. "A lot of times, we're the first on the scene."

And they'll continue to be the first on the scene and continue to provide service to country. Just like the service member, the firefighter, too, is a warfighter -- even if the war is against raging flames.

Fire Prevention Tips: Whether on a deployment or living in the cozy comfort of military housing, fire safety is a concern for all service members and their family members. To keep your hooch from burning down, the American Red Cross offers the following tips:

1) Ensure smoke detectors are working properly and that new batteries are installed.
2) Do not overload your electrical outlets. Be careful of extension cords that create hazardous walkways. This is especially important if living in tents.
3) Get training from the fire department on how to use fire extinguishers and keep more than one always available.
4) Do not smoke indoors (it's against Army policy anyway) and ensure cigarettes are out completely.
5) Ensure Soldiers have an evacuation route and a rally point to meet in case of fire.

• Date Taken: 06.24.2004
• Date Posted: 06.24.2004 10:03
• Story ID: 49