Jason Hofmeister, front, and Capt. Jason
Cahill, both Grissom Fire Department firefighters, pose for a photo during a
nighttime training exercise at Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind. May 21, 2015. The
exercise allows firefighters to become accustomed to using their equipment in
poor-visibility conditions. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Mota)
Story by Tech. Sgt.
Benjamin Mota
GRISSOM AIR ESERVE BASE, Ind. - On a quiet summer night, 30-foot flames lit the once dark
skies at Grissom producing radiant heat that would melt normal clothing, and
while most would run from such dangers, one group of individual’s moved toward
it.
The fire department is one of several
organizations here at Grissom that work and train after dark and around the
clock to ensure mission essential personnel and property are kept safe.
“Our fire
department provides services 24-7,” said Todd Woolf, Grissom Fire Department
assistant chief of training. “Firefighters work 48-hour shifts and must be
prepared to respond to an emergency during any part of that shift.”
Jason Hofmeister, Grissom Fire Department
firefighter, right, uses a fire hose to direct pressurized water toward a
fire-engulfed mock airframe, as Capt. Jason Cahill, GFD crew chief, helps guide
the fire hose during a night training exercise at Grissom Air Reserve Base,
Ind. May 21, 2015. Grissom’s fire pit uses propane gas to ignite the mock
airframe providing firefighters a realistic training scenario.
That
preparation was recently exemplified during a night-time simulated aircraft
fire where they honed their skills under the star-lit skies at Grissom’s fire
pit.
“There’s a
huge difference between having an emergency during the day and having one at
night,” explained Woolf. “We need to know our equipment well enough that we
don’t have to see to be able to use it, and that is accomplished through
training and repetition.”
“The training we do builds muscle memory that
allows us to operate in any type of condition at any given time,” explained
Josh Van Zuiden, GFD firefighter. “That muscle memory saves time, and for us
every second is critical when lives are at stake.
“We have to
be able to provide the same quality of response in the middle of the night as
we would during the day,” he added.
That response begins when the alarm sounds
indicating emergency services are needed. After that, firefighters have just 60
seconds to respond, and that response involves much more than just leaving the
station.
Grissom firefighters, operating two fire
trucks, extinguish flames on a mock airframe during a nighttime training
exercise at Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., May 21, 2015. The fire department
is one of several organizations at Grissom that work and train after dark and
around the clock to ensure personnel and property are kept safe. (U.S. Air
Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Mota)
“You have to
be prepared both mentally and physically,” said Van Zuiden who is also a
registered emergency medical and a hazardous materials technician. “The mental
portion comes from the aspect of knowing that you have a job to do and getting
it done while the physical part comes from staying healthy and conducting
routine training.”
To help
that, physical fitness training is part of their routine.
“Because of
the physical demands of their job, firefighters are expected to maintain a
level of cardio and strength proficiency to perform the job,” said Woolf.
“Firefighting gear alone is 70 pounds and some of the equipment we use is as
heavy as 100 pounds.
“Staying
physically fit ensures firefighters can respond to the different types of
services we provide,” added Woolf.
In addition to fire services, GFD responds to
vehicle accidents, HazMat incidents, medical emergencies, gas leaks and
confined space, and high angle rescues both on and off base.
“Our main
mission is to support Grissom, but when other local fire departments request
our support, we are able to assist through mutual aid agreements,” said Capt.
James Jones, GFD crew chief.
Capt. Bill Ralstin, Grissom Fire Department
firefighter, oversees the controls for Grissom’s fire pit prior to a night
training exercise at Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., May 21, 2015. Grissom’s
fire pit uses propane gas to ignite a mock airframe providing firefighters
realistic training. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Mota)
“Grissom
Fire Department is the only department in Miami County that has the
capabilities and trained technicians to respond to a hazardous material
emergency,” said John Ireland, GFD fire chief. “Chemical releases require
trained technicians to stop the leak and treat injured patients.”
In addition,
more than a dozen of the GFD's 49 firefighters are certified rescue trained,
allowing them to conduct rescues from high and low angles, in confined spaces
and from under collapsed structures.
“Any time
you are working in a confined space rescue or in a smoke-filled room visibility
can be an issue,” said Van Zuiden who is certified rescue trained. “Night
training is one of the tools we use to build confidence and learn to work as
team.”
Working as a
team is also an expectation for Grissom firefighters, said Jones.
As a crew chief he is responsible for three to
four firefighters on his crew. After arriving on-scene, it is his
responsibility to guide and direct them were to go after receiving command from
the senior fire officer.
“I’m
responsible for what happens to them and what they do,” said Jones. “You have
to be able to rely on the guy next to you when responding to an emergency.
Todd Woolf, Grissom Fire Department
assistant chief of training, unlocks an electric control box to send power to
Grissom’s fire pit control tower at Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., May 21,
2015. Grissom’s fire pit uses a mock aircraft to familiarize firefighters with
techniques used to exterminate an aircraft fire and extract passengers. (U.S.
Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Mota)
That brotherhood is formed partially from the
time spent together at work combined with the camaraderie shared after-hours.
“That bond
is formed from the day you start here; we work together, eat together, and
spend a lot of time together,” added Van Zuiden. “This is our home away from
home, and most of us spend more time here with each other than we do with our
own family.”
“After hours we watch movies together, we joke
around and we laugh, and that’s what it’s all about in this fire department,”
concluded Jones. “You have to have a sense of humor to do the job we do night
or day.”
The 434th
ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker in the Air Force Reserve Command.
Airmen and aircraft from the 434th ARW routinely deploy around the world in
support of the Air Force mission and U.S. strategic objectives.
