Condemned housing provides unique fire training

Published June 21, 2007
By Lois Walsh
96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The deaths of nine firefighters in South Carolina June 18 has spotlighted the dangers of the job and the importance of training.

At Eglin AFB, officials took advantage of base housing slated for demolition as part of the base's housing privatization initiative to provide base firefighters with a unique training opportunity June 20.

Two four-man teams of firefighters from the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron took turns battling a raging kitchen fire in a single-story multiplex unit. Firefighters were authorized to set fires in three units after meeting nation fire protection standards.

Assistant Chief Tom Ryan of Eglin's Fire and Emergency Services said the exercises were scheduled to allow firefighters to see how fire reacts. The key was starting a good fire. Bales of straw were stacked in the kitchen and bedroom of one unit to act as a fire starter and wooden pallets added fuel for the flames.

Ed Klima, Air Armament Center occupational safety and health specialist, stood close by during all the preparations. He ensured all hazardous materials were removed before the training began and the firefighters followed safe practices prescribed for fighting a dwelling fire.

"This is a first of this type of training for these guys and these firemen really learn a lot, how to work closer with one another," he said."

Also standing by was Airman First Class Carl Doke, the youngest member of the team, just two months into his fireman career. He acted as a safety officer, ready in case anything went wrong or "we see something happen that shouldn't.

"This is a real fire and a real house," Airman Doke said. "It's very realistic, watching the fire build, watching it grow and watching it react."

The fire's reaction is critical to successfully extinguishing the blaze. Mr. Ryan said fire crews work in benchmarks and each crew spends about 20 minutes fighting the fire before they are swapped out. Crew chiefs used thermal imaging cameras to see through the smoke to keep track of their crews. The "incident clock" starts ticking when the fire fighters enter the building.

"First is the entry and starting the fire attack," Mr. Ryan said. "By the time we get to the second benchmark, the fire should be under control or extinguished."

Even though smoke was seeping from under the eaves of the attached dwellings, Mr. Ryan was unconcerned that the fire was spreading.

"That smoke is kind of lazy; it's just starting to drift," the chief explained. "I'm confident the fire's contained. But if I see it turn darker and come out with more force, than I know the fire's spreading. My goal is to get ahead of the fire."

Helping meet that goal was Staff. Sgt. Nick Krissie, a reservist who was in for his annual tour. After spending his 20 minutes controlling the fire, he was taking a breather, drinking water and breathing in the fresh air. Sergeant Krissie, a full-time student working towards his degree in elementary education, said getting to fight a fire in a real dwelling is rare and a good opportunity to train. He feels there's a direct correlation between teaching and fighting fires.

"They're both connected, they both help people," he said. "There are so many things you can do just for yourself, and that's not worth my time."

Senior Airman Shuman Taylor, who's been at Eglin for two years, summed up why this training was important and the key role firefighters play protecting the installation.

"I just like that I can give back every day whether I'm at the station or at a school teaching kids fire prevention," Airman Taylor said. "It (fire) destroys and we stop it."