MEMBERS OF SIOUX CITY’S 185TH AIR NATIONAL GUARD FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE TRAINING ON MULTIPLE SCENARIOS WITH THE AIRCRAFT RESCUE AND FIREFIGHTING TRAINER OVER THE WEEKEND AT THEIR AIR REFUELING WING BASE.
MASTER SGT. MITCH DECKER IS THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OF FIRE OPERATIONS ON THE BASE.
HE SAYS AIRCRAFT FIRE FIGHTING PRESENTS UNIQUE CHALLENGES BECAUSE THOSE FIRES USUALLY INVOLVE LARGE AMOUNTS OF FUEL:
DECKER1 OC…ATTACK THAT FIRE. :09
DECKER SAYS THE AIR FORCE FIREFIGHTERS WERE ALSO TRAINING WHILE WEARING CHEMICAL WARFARE GEAR WITH THEIR REGULAR TURNOUT GEAR:
DECKER2 OC……CHALLENGE TO IT. :20
HE SAYS HAVING THE MOBILE TRAINER COME TO SIOUX CITY ALLOWS EVERYONE IN THE AIRPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT ACCESS TO THE REQUIRED TRAINING WITH MINIMAL INTERRUPTIONS TO WORK SCHEDULES:
DECKER3 OC…….SOMEWHERE ELSE. :12
THE TRAVELING TRAINER WAS IN SIOUX CITY FOR THREE DAYS AND HAD FIREFIGHTERS BATTLING FUEL, ENGINE AND FUSELAGE FIRES.
THE TRAINING ALSO HAD FIREFIGHTERS PRACTICING AIRCRAFT ENTRY TECHNIQUES.
Photos from 185th ANG
