167th Airlift Wing Firefighters first on scene at Berkely County structure fire
Courtesy Photo |
Firefighters from the 167th Airlift Wing were the first on scene at a Berkeley County......read moreread more
Courtesy Photo | Firefighters from the 167th Airlift Wing were the first on scene at a Berkeley County garage fire on Feb. 7, 2026 preventing flames from spreading into the home’s main living area. see less
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167th Airlift Wing Firefighters first on scene at Berkely County structure fire
Firefighters from the 167th Airlift Wing were the first on scene at a Berkeley County garage fireonFeb. 7,2026preventing flames from spreading into the home’s main living area.
Berkeley CountyDepartment of Emergency Communicationsdispatched theWest Virginia Air National Guard’s167th Fire Emergency Services directly for the house fire,locatednear the base. Within two minutes, the crew had their gear on and the engine on the road, arrivingfirston the scene.
The 167thAWislocatedatShepherd FieldinMartinsburg, WestVirginia. Amutual aid agreement with the countyensures the closest available fire company responds to emergencies, whether on base or in the surrounding community.
“When we arrived, we had fire in the garage that was extending into the attic,” said Tech. Sgt. MichellAlerding, company officer with the 167thFES. “My immediate priority was to provide a scene size-up to incoming units while my crew deployed the hand line.”
AirmanLogan Herring and Airman1stClassIzaiahCortes, both probationary firefighters, advanced the hand line, a pre-connected fire hose carried from the engine andoperatedon foot to deliver water directly onto the fire. Herring and Cortes aggressively attacked the fire before it could spread into the home.
StaffSgt.John Segreti andTechSgt.Brandon Evans supported suppression operations, helpingcontainthe fire within minutes. By the timeAlerdingcompleted his size-up and returned to the front of the structure, most of the fire had been controlled.
“They remained calm while working quickly and efficiently to attack the fire and prevent it from spreading into the rest of the house,”Alerdingsaid. “That speaks to their training.As an officer, thereare a lot of factors Ihave toconsider on a first-arriving call. Knowing the firefighters in the back of the truck know whatthey’redoing allows me to focus on the bigger picture.”
High wind conditions prompted a request foradditionalmanpower.
StaffSgt.JaredFeaster,SeniorAirmanJaredJungkeitandSenior AirmanNicholasViccellioresponded in a utility vehicle andassistedon scene, their availability made possible by increased staffing during Unit Training Assembly weekend.
“This is something we train for every shift,”Alerdingsaid. “We focus on basic skills and full structural exercises so our firefighters, including our newest members, are prepared to perform when it matters.”
In recent years, the unit revamped its probationary training process, strengthening requirements and skill validation for new firefighters.Alerdingsaid that investment contributed to the performance of the newest members on the scene.
Firefighters assigned to the 167th enlist in theWVANGand attend the Department ofWarJoint Fire Academy at Goodfellow Air Force Base in Texas, completing three months of technical training. After returning, they enter a structured probationary period during which individual skills are evaluated and signed off through a qualification book.
“That fire was a good example of the benefit of our mutual aidagreement,”Alerdingsaid. “It ensures the closest available resources respond quickly.”
Guard firefighters serve both a federal and state mission. For members of the 167thFES, that includes protecting Air Force assets on the installation and responding to emergencies in the surrounding community under the mutual aid agreement.
Although the Feb. 7 fire drew attention due to its proximity to the installation, for the 167th firefighters it reflected a routine but critical mission: remain trained, remainready,and respond without hesitation when called.
