Story by Angie Thorne April 3, 2026 at 02:11PM FORT POLK, La. — The Directorate of Emergency Services Fire Department held Aircraft Live Fire training Feb. 26-27. The training is an annual event held to refresh aircraft firefighting skills. In addition to classroom training, a live exercise was held on Feb. 27 at Maks Army Airfield. Eric Makoski, instructor, said the training is based on the needs of the client. “Every military installation is different, and every airport is different. That’s why we work closely with the local training staff to understand their specific needs and tailor the training to meet those requirements,” Makoski said. Alex Rivera-Agosto, Fort Polk Fire Department fire inspector, said Fort Polk firefighters don’t get enough practice responding to aircraft emergencies, but they have operations they take part in with airplane standbys. “That means the potential is there for us to have to deal with this type of emergency at either Maks Army Airfield or with Geronimo out in the box. So, having this type of fire training gives of us the skills we need if a worst-case scenario occurs,” Rivera-Agosto said. During the classroom training, one of the things firefighters learned was how to change their airfield firefighting techniques because they are now using a different firefighting agent to help put fires out. “It’s a clean agent that helps separate the vapor fuel from the fires. This means we are better able to put out the flames,” Rivera-Agosto said. The live exercise included a large-scale airplane replica able to blast propane-driven fire at different spots inside and outside the aircraft for firefighters to put out. Makoski said firefighters need to train for these real-world situations, and the best way to do that is by making the simulators as realistic as possible and giving personnel hands-on experience. “Every day we’re doing our normal jobs, so when we can train, we need to make the most of that time. Creating mock-ups like this allows us to simulate real emergencies as closely as possible. That way, when a real emergency does happen, you’re better prepared to respond,” Makoski said. Rivera-Agosto said this practical application of firefighting gives firefighters a feeling of reality that a classroom can never achieve. Rivera-Agosto said Feeling the heat and urgency to put out the flames is the best way to prepare us to be able to successfully handle any emergency that occurs on Fort Polk. That means we are adding an additional layer of safety for Soldiers and family members living on the installation,” Rivera-Agosto said.
