South Carolina National Guard fights wildfires in Pickens County

A South Carolina Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook and crew from Donaldson Field in Greenville, South Carolina support the South Carolina Forestry Commission to contain a remote fire near the top of Pinnacle Mountain in Pickens County, South Carolina. The aircraft are equipped with a Bambi Buckets, which can be filled with any available water to be transported and dumped on the fire. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Roberto Di Giovine)

PICKENS, SC, UNITED STATES
11.10.2016
Story by Capt. Jessica Donnelly
South Carolina National Guard

PICKENS, SOUTH CAROLINA – The South Carolina National Guard responded to a request for support to contain wildfires affecting Pickens County, South Carolina Nov. 10, 2016, by providing helicopters equipped with Bambi Buckets, which can be filled with any available water to be transported and dumped on the fire.

A UH-60 Black Hawk from Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment and a crew of Soldiers from the 59th Aviation Troop Command out of McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Eastover, South Carolina, as well as a CH-47 Chinook from Det. 1, Bravo Company, 2-238th General Support Aviation Battalion with a crew from Donaldson Field in Greenville, South Carolina, responded to Table Rock State Park to help contain a fire near the top of Pinnacle Mountain.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Lester Furr, III, South Carolina National Guard State Army Aviation Officer, said once the crew received the request they began preparations and the Black Hawk was in the air by 8 a.m.

The South Carolina National Guard is working in support of the South Carolina Forestry Commission firefighters on the ground to extinguish the fires. Doug Wood, South Carolina Forestry Commission director of communications, explained, the South Carolina National Guard helicopters are able to fill up their buckets in the Upper and Lower Table Rock lakes before returning to drop the water.

“They have a strategy on the ground,” said Furr. “They’re telling us where they need us to drop the water.”

Furr added, the Black Hawk was initially used early on, however, once it was determined that more support was needed, the Chinook was called to respond, as well. He added, the Black Hawk is able to carry about 700 gallons of water with the Bambi Bucket, while the Chinook can carry about 2,000 gallons.

Multiple Southeastern states are being affected by the wildfires due to unseasonably warm weather and a drought. It is expected that the response will continue throughout the weekend due to low humidity and winds, causing the affected area to grow, said Furr.

DOD Technical Rope Rescue 1 Nov. 11, 2016

VICENZA, ITALY
11.11.2016
Photo by Davide Dalla Massara
Training Support Activity Europe

U.S. Airman Tech. Sgt. Anthony Montano and Staff Sgt. Christopher Traina from 435th Construction and Training Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, make comments about the training to firefighters assigned to the U.S. Army Garrison Italy, at the Army Training Command tower, 34-feet high, during Department of Defense Technical Rope Rescue 1, Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, Nov. 11, 2016. Firefighters here received training from instructors from the 435th Construction and Training Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on a variety of rescue techniques and scenarios including operational risk management, incident management system, ground support for helicopter operations and confined space rescue. This training is vital to keep first responders proficient in procedures, in the event that a rescue requires such skills. (Photo by Visual Information Specialist Davide Dalla Massara/Released)

National Guard supports Nevada firefighting efforts

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Emerson Marcus | A Nevada Air National Guard fire tender re-supplies fire engines from multiple governmental agencies during the Little Valley Fire that burned 22 homes Friday.

RENO, NV, UNITED STATES
10.16.2016
Story by Tech. Sgt. Emerson Marcus
152 Airlift Wing

Tim Daniels rushed to work after he heard about a wind-whipped fire early Friday morning that jumped around Washoe Valley and eventually destroyed 22 homes.

“As soon as I woke up, I left for work,” said Daniels, a firefighter at 152nd Airlift Wing emergency fire services section. “If all fire assets in the valley are going, and it’s an immediate need, you know you’re going.”

Four Airmen and two civilian firefighters from the Nevada Air National Guard Base in Reno were among more than a thousand federal, state and county personnel working the blaze, which scorched more than 3,400 acres as wind gusts exceeded 70 mph.

Additionally, about 30 Nevada Army Guard soldiers provided security and patrols for law enforcement in the area this weekend.

Upon the Nevada Division of Emergency Management’s request, the Nevada National Guard Joint Operations Center in Carson City activated Nevada Air Guard firefighters along with a fire tender and engine shortly after 8 a.m. Friday. They initially reported to Galena High School for the Rolling Hills Fire, but were re-directed to the Little Valley Fire near Franktown Road in southwestern Washoe Valley.

The Air Guard firefighters brought a 4,000-gallon tender — the largest tender available in Washoe County — and a fire engine for property protection and water re-supply.

“The tender is basically a mobile fire hydrant,” said Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Bandoni, fire emergency services chief at the base in Reno. “So, as the firefighters go through their operations and run out of water, we fill them up.”

In all, the tender provided more than 100,000 gallons of water Friday for several agencies fighting the fire, including Carson City Fire Department, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and others, Bandoni said.

Along with the fire tender, four base firefighters in the engine provided property protection.

“We basically went into a cul-de-sac with six homes and a lot of brush and buildings,” Tech. Sgt. William Duggins said. “We were there for about nine hours to deflect the fire from those homes. For a few moments it looked like it was going to start taking off, but it died down.”

The Nevada Air National Guard has one active guardsman and 17 state employees working full-time at the base in Reno. Additionally, there are 32 guardsmen working one weekend a month at the base fire department. Two of the traditional guardsmen — Staff Sgt. Brian Boyer and Airman Nick Hunter — reported a day early for drill this weekend.

They were among the six called for firefighting Friday.

The Nevada Air Guard has mutual-aid agreements with fire agencies in the region. Friday’s request came through the state, not a mutual-aid agreement, but the Air Guard’s tender and fire engine has reported to fires in Reno, including the Caughlin Ranch (2011) and Washoe Drive (2012) fires. They also supported federal firefighting efforts last month in the Boise National Forest.

Scott Brandt, who worked 15 years for the Bureau of Land Management fighting wildland fires before he became a full-time firefighter at the base, said he was impressed with the interagency cohesion amidst chaos.

“I’ve never seen multiple agencies come together for an initial attack like that,” he said. “It was pretty chaotic, but everyone came together well.”

No injuries were reported among the Nevada Air guardsmen, but four firefighters from other agencies were treated for smoke inhalation.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

182nd fire chief joins top one percent of enlisted

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Lealan Buehrer | U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Clifford Otto III, a fire protection chief with the 182nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Illinois Air National Guard, is pictured with one of his unit’s fire trucks at the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria, Ill., Oct. 12, 2016. He has 18 years of active duty and ANG military service and has served with the 182nd since 2014. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Lealan Buehrer)

PEORIA, IL, UNITED STATES
10.14.2016
Story by Tech. Sgt. Lealan Buehrer
182nd Airlift Wing

Chief Master Sgt. Clifford Otto III, a fire protection chief with the 182nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Illinois Air National Guard, joined the top one percent of enlisted Air Force members when he was promoted to the chief master sergeant here Oct. 1.

Otto has 18 years of military service with the active duty Air Force and Air National Guard. He has served with the 182nd Airlift Wing since September 2014.

Col. Cory Reid, the commander of the 182nd Mission Support Group, said that Otto was already a good choice for a chief master sergeant when he was hired to the squadron as a senior master sergeant, even with not yet having achieved the prerequisite time-in-grade for promotion.

“The guy’s got a macro-view, really, of not just the firefighting community, but leadership development of troops within and outside of his career field,” Reid said.

Otto said he believes what makes a good chief is someone who is a supporter of the troops and who looks out for their well-being.

“By doing that, hopefully that makes motivated and happy employees. A happy employee is a productive one,” he said.

“I will tell you, he’s extremely passionate about taking care of his troops. You can tell that’s been embedded in him since probably an early time in his Air Force career,” Reid said. “I know it firsthand, because he’s often in my office directly advocating for his personnel.”

In addition to leading his Airmen, who he calls the best Airmen and firefighters he’s ever worked with, Otto said he likes passing on the knowledge he’s collected over the course of his career.

“I do a lot of time with the Guard Bureau in an advisory capacity. I teach a chief fire officer course. I think I taught four courses last year, so I get to get out and teach new chiefs how to be chiefs,” he said.

Having, applying and passing on that knowledge not only affects the military service, but the surrounding civilian sectors as well.

The 182nd Fire Department’s mission is not only to provide service to the wing, but also to respond emergencies at the General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport, which shares runways with the base and facilitates 50,000 to 60,000 passengers a month.

“One of the best things about being on a fire department is generally we only get one chance to make a good impression because we’re seeing someone on their worst day or at their worst moment,” Otto said.

In accomplishing that mission, the chief said he wants to see growth in his department’s in manpower, facilities and state-of-the-art equipment.

“We’re lobbying every day for more manpower to give us better capability to provide coverage for the military mission and the civilian mission across the flight line,” he said. “The future’s looking bright.”

Camp Zama, SFHA youth get familiar with firefighters

Photo By Lance Davis | Arnn students, with help from Camp Zama firefighters, shoot water from the fire hose Oct. 13 for Fire Prevention Week held Oct. 8-15.

JAPAN
10.24.2016
Story by Lance Davis
US Army Garrison - Japan

CAMP ZAMA, Japan (Oct. 24, 2016) — Fire and Emergency Services Division engaged with several children and youth members for Fire Prevention Week 2016 held Oct. 8-15 on Camp Zama and Sagamihara Family Housing Area installations.

This year’s campaign was “Don’t Wait – Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years,” according to Hiromi Oliva, fire protection inspector, with several events and activities to promote fire safety to kids.

“It’s best to teach kids while there still young because they learn so quickly,” said Oliva. “This prepares them to survive in case of a fire.”

The week kicked off with mascot Sparky the Fire Dog — along with Camp Zama firefighters— riding around the SFHA neighborhoods, handing out safety hats and taking pictures with youth members.

The campaigned continued with puppet shows at the Child Development Centers, covering safety tips such as “STOP, DROP and ROLL.”

There were also activities held at Arnn Elementary with students trying on firefighter uniforms and shooting water at a pretend fire.

“It was actually pretty fun to try on the fireman’s suit and experience how heavy it is,” said Jada Banks, fourth, grader at Arnn.

Oral Clarke, fourth, grader at Arnn, said he learned that smoke alarms need to be checked often and replaced every 10 years.

“The way to check your alarm is to press this button … if it doesn’t make a noise, that means it’s dead,” said Clarke.

Oliva said one of the most important reasons this campaign engages with young people is to minimize the fear most children have of firefighters and the tendency for them to hide under the bed when they see them.

“We want to make sure our children know firefighters are their friends and there to help them,” she said.