From an ember to a flame

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Ellen Hatfield
  • 349th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Those looking for a benchmark for seamless integrated training need look no further then the Travis Air Force Base fire department.

Fire Chief John Speakman and Chief Master Sgt. Michael Beck, 349th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Chief, are justifiably proud of the program they have built. It got the attention of the Air Mobility Command inspector general team during the May 2011 compliance inspection.

"Our day doesn't end at four o'clock. There's a whole lot of things that happen at night," Speakman said. "We're a 24/7 operation, which gives these (seasoning training program) students a chance to experience everything that goes on here."

They are more than willing to let a 349th Airmen step up and take the initiative. There's no difference between the active duty and the reservist when it comes to doing the job.

"This competition proves that," he said.

The competition was a friendly one, pitting 349th reservists against their 60th AMW counterparts on a recent unit training assembly at the new Fire Station One. Practicing speed and precision drills, each team was equipped with their own pumper truck. The object was for each team's Airmen to don their turnout gear as swiftly as possible, run the hose out approximately 100 feet, turn it on and knock down four orange cones with the spray.

The 349th AMWs Senior Airman Jamie Perkins stood at the ready to show her stuff as the hand linesman, while Senior Airman David Wonnell, operator, was at the truck controls to operate the pump and Staff Sgt. Erik Keene perched atop the pumper as the safety observer.

This UTA, approximately 16 reservists were on duty, training with active duty and civilians on shift for the weekend. Perkins is in the Reserve's STP for a year, which means she will work and train here full time. Airman 1st Class Brandon McKenzie just started STP, and Airman 1st Class Christopher Coleman is scheduled to begin soon.

They're allowed to work any shift, but on an emergency response, there are some things they are not allowed to do, such as drive the truck until they're licensed and upgraded.

"But they're riding the trucks, they're going into the fire and responding," Speakman said.

During a past major fire, Speakman called on his mutual aid partners to help, then Chief Beck called on his 349th brethren, ending up with 17 reservists to help fight the fire.

"I ultimately handed over the scene to Chief Beck after I had been going for about 26 hours," he said. "I had reached that exhaustion level and he ran with it and took care of both our 349th and 60th assets."

During one of the last CI visits from the AMC IG, during, a Reserve duty weekend, the fire chiefs threw the reservists into the mix and they participated right along with their counterparts.

"Our trust is total," Speakman said. "The IG said they'd never seen a better C-5 egress. Everything they suggested to us, we were already doing"