Fire protection requires vast knowledge

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Patrick Harrower
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The task of keeping Travis safe from fires is a 24-hour job. The dry climate and close proximity to factories and refineries keeps the Airmen of the 60th Civil Engineer Squadron fire emergency services team on alert at all times.

The team is part of a bigger picture when it comes to first responders. Not only must they maintain round the clock coverage, but they also require extra training due to the three main airframes on base.

"There is a lot to know when responding to an emergency on an aircraft," said Senior Airman Kemer Reinhardt, 60th CES fire emergency services team driver operator. "It can be quite the challenge to know all the specific hazards of the aircraft, as well as, all the shutdown procedures. Unless they work at an airport, a lot of civilian firefighters don't have to deal with that."

Because there are multiple airframes on Travis, the team has frequent exercises on each one and even arranges extra training on transient aircraft they may see on the flightline.

In addition to the airframe training, they must also be highly proficient in their first responder training.

"We train with the medics at the hospital frequently," said Staff Sgt. Jacob Johnson, 60th CES fire emergency services team crew chief. "It's helpful to see how we can respond and work together."

Firefighters must remain proficient in emergency medical technichian, CPR, hazardous material, confined space and other training for anything they may encounter on base, Johnson said.

The firefighters also work with all the local county first responders as part of a mutual aid agreement, he said.

"We have responded to a lot of incidents off base," Johnson said. "They can request our assistance anywhere in Solano County and if something big happens at Travis, we can call on them. They utilize us a lot during the fire season."

The team trains with the civilian firefighters every chance they get and is even capable of covering the civilian stations when their teams are unable to respond.

"Working with the off base firefighters is great," Reinhardt said. "They are incredibly knowledgeable and we can learn a lot from them. They have a lot of experience to offer."

The team has shifts of 48 hours on with 72 hours off, meaning they live, sleep, eat and exercise at the station for their time on duty. It's important for the team to stay together so they can respond to emergencies.

"If someone has an appointment or needs to go somewhere, we all go together," Reinhardt said. "We go as a crew in case we get called out while we are there. It keeps the camaraderie and morale high."