Dirty Jobs: Travis

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Nicole Leidholm
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Summer temperatures mixed with dry conditions can mean disaster for Travis. Now is the season for grass fires that can burn everything in their path. Fortunately, the 60th Civil Engineer Squadron fire emergency services team is trained to quickly snuff out any fires.

The fire emergency services is in charge of fire protection for the base as well as any emergency services, said Staff Sgt. Justin Rico, 60th CES fire emergency services firefighter.

Because of the size and nature of the Travis community, Travis' firefighters are responsible for fighting multiple types of fires. The crew must be ready to respond to situations in airplanes, homes and more. Aircraft fires, structure fires, grass fires, petroleum, oil and lubricant situations, hazmat, confined-space rescue and emergency medical situations are all part of the Travis fire crew's responsibilities.

"We do training and classes to stay proficient," said Senior Airman Derek Hansen, 60th CES fire emergency services firefighter. "That way, when a real emergency comes, we are prepared."

Fire protection services is a crucial component in keeping Travis jets in the air.

"When there is an emergency on the flightline, it shuts down," said Jason Root, 60th CES fire emergency services firefighter. "We need to clean up quickly so the flightline can continue operations."

Fighting fires comes with many risks.

Fighting the fires themselves and smoke inhalation are hazards, Hansen said. We may also deal with hazardous materials so we wear the appropriate protection so we're not breathing in toxic fumes.

Travis team members wear proximity suits, which are designed to withstand exceptional heat for the purpose of an aircraft fire

"We wear our proximity 'bunker' gear to keep fluids and hazards off us," Hansen said.

Along with hazards, the job of a firefighter can get pretty dirty.

"The dirtiest part of the job is the grass fires," Hansen said. "There is a lot of black soot that we get on us."

Other parts of the job such as training in their hazmat suits, which gets the team sweaty, and servicing and cleaning the trucks, which gets their clothes drenched, are other dirty parts of the job, according to Hansen.

"Another dirty part of the job is Rescue 2 training," Root said. "This is where we breech concrete walls, climb through rumble and simulate a building collapse, like in 9/11, and find people."

Travis firefighters also get mutual calls and help out the surrounding cities when they are in need.

"I really like the recognition we get from the community being in the Air Force fire department," Hansen said. "All of the kids want to be like us. I know I did."