A multinational contingent of Kosovo Force emergency response elements, including Slovenian, Swiss and U.S. aviation units, supported Kosovo institutions in fighting wildfires Sept. 5, 2015, in the mountains of southern Kosovo outside Dragash, Kosovo. Acting in support of and at the request of Kosovo institutions, KFOR troops assisted in extinguishing the flames and protecting lives and property in the area. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. David I. Marquis, Multinational Battle Group-East)
Photo by Sgt. David MarquisCAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo – Multinational Kosovo Force emergency response teams were activated to respond to continuing forest fire threats Sept. 5, 2015, in the mountains outside Dragash in southern Kosovo.
On the ground and in the air, forces from several nations came together to support local firefighters as they directed Slovenian, Swiss and U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard helicopters carrying bambi buckets full of water toward the flames.
The response efforts came on the second weekend in a row that KFOR has supported Kosovo institutions fighting fires in the region. The weekend’s response efforts included elements from Multinational Battle Group-East, Multinational Battle Group-West and Joint Regional Detachment-South.
“Every time we dropped a bambi bucket on the fire, every person on the ground would cheer,” said U.S. Army Maj. Fred Keller, MNBG-E’s deputy operations officer and an experienced helicopter pilot with the North Carolina National Guard. “All of KFOR came together to combat this fire.”
“There was fantastic team work on the ground,” Keller said. “The local institutions were very happy with how we performed.”
Capt. Andrew O’Donnell, a Connecticut Army National Guard Soldier from 1st Battalion, 169th Aviation Regiment, out of Windsor Locks, Connecticut, said letting the local Kosovo institutions lead the way in fighting the fire while KFOR acted as a support element, highlighted the capabilities of Kosovo’s institutions, and their partnership with KFOR—NATO’s peace support mission in the region.
“I think what we did today had a huge impact on the community,” O’Donnell said. “The locals took control of the situation.”
As the night went on, the local community—supported by KFOR—successfully extinguished the fires before any homes were affected or citizens were hurt.
Slovenian Army 2nd Lt. Tobija Cukjati, a Bell 412 helicopter pilot with the Slovenian 15th Aviation Brigade, provides air surveillance for ground and other air support elements during a firefighting mission Sept. 5, 2015, over Dragash, Kosovo. Acting in support of and at the request of Kosovo institutions, Kosovo Force multinational emergency response elements assisted in extinguishing the flames and protecting lives and property in the area. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. David I. Marquis, Multinational Battle Group-East)
A multinational contingent of Kosovo Force emergency response elements, including Slovenian, Swiss and U.S. aviation units, supported Kosovo institutions in fighting wildfires Sept. 5, 2015, in the mountains of southern Kosovo outside Dragash, Kosovo. Acting in support of and at the request of Kosovo institutions, KFOR troops assisted in extinguishing the flames and protecting lives and property in the area. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. David I. Marquis, Multinational Battle Group-East)
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