South Carolina Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team rescues hiker in Pickens County

Members of the South Carolina Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team (SC-HART) responded to a call to rescue a hiker stranded on a mountain ledge at Table Rock State Park Jan. 5, 2017. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Roberto Di Giovine)

PICKENS, SC, UNITED STATES
01.05.2017
Story by Staff Sgt. Roberto Di Giovine and Capt. Brian Hare
South Carolina National Guar

PICKENS COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA - Members of the South Carolina Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team (SC-HART) responded to a call to rescue a hiker stranded on a mountain ledge at Table Rock State Park Jan. 5, 2017.

The hiker was airlifted from the mountain at around 9:25 a.m. after reportedly being stranded for several hours after suffering a fall of approximately 70 feet. The request for assistance came from the Pickens County emergency management authorities.

According to crew reports, the request for support from SC-HART was initiated when rescuers on site realized that use of a helicopter was going to be the most effective means of reaching and extracting the hiker.

“It was key to use a helicopter to rescue the hiker. Due to difficult conditions, the rescuers on the ground couldn’t reach him,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Tripp Hutto, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 151st Aviation Regiment UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot. “We could see from the air, it looked like the closest they could get to him was about 80 feet.”

After the call for support was received through State Emergency Management channels, both the civilian and military components of the SC-HART rescuers were simultaneously activated.

The South Carolina Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and crew deployed from McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Eastover. They picked up a team of rescuers from Pickens County at the South Carolina National Guard’s Army Aviation Support Facility 2 in Greenville, prior to moving to Table Rock to conduct the rescue.

Following extraction, the SC-HART helicopter landed near a pre-positioned ambulance on site, where the hiker was released to Pickens County Emergency Medical Support personnel.

“The rescue went smoothly and was conducted without incident,” said Hutto. “The SC-HART team works well together due to partnerships developed through past training and real world events, including the statewide flooding in 2015. This allowed for a seamless rescue.”

Coast Guard responds to platform fire

Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Giles

GRAND ISLE, LA, UNITED STATES

01.04.2017

Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Giles 

U.S. Coast Guard District 8

Four offshore supply vessels extinguish a fire on an oil production platform fire near Grand Isle, Louisiana, January 5, 2017. There were four people aboard the platform who evacuated into the water and were recovered by the offshore supply vessel Mary Wyatt Milano. There were no reported injuries.(Coast Guard imagery courtesy of Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile)

EFR Marines conduct real world training

Marines conduct a controlled burn exercise aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Dec. 13. The Marines with Expeditionary Firefighting Rescue conducted the training to prepare for and hone skills necessary to face real life scenarios. The training also served as an opportunity to strengthen camaradarie and enhance trust among the unit members. The Marines are with EFR, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron.

BEAUFORT, SC, UNITED STATES

12.12.2016

Story by Lance Cpl. Ashley Phillips 

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort

Expeditionary Firefighting Rescue Marines conducted a controlled burn training exercise aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Dec. 13.

The training provided the Marines an opportunity to prepare for real life scenarios they might encounter. The training simulates extinguishing a jet fire. The Marines burned jet fuel to make the training realistic.

“With this type of fire you really have to keep your head on the swivel,” said Cpl. Damien Sanders, a firefighter with Expeditionary Firefighting Rescue. “If you don’t properly extinguish it the fuel can reignite next to you or even behind you. When you go to our school you learn firefighting techniques with propane fires. This fire is different because fire burns jet fuel differently.”

The exercise took place at a training pit specially designed for fires. There is a mock aircraft surrounded by nozzles that spray jet fuel into the pit and out of the back of the plane. When the Marines are ready, the jet fuel is ignited by a flare.

“For many of these Marines they don’t have experience with a jet fuel fire,” said Sgt. Aaron Hosenfeld, a firefighter with Expeditionary Firefighting Rescue. “This is an entirely different ball game from what they are used too. There is no replacement for experience.”

To extinguish the fire, two pairs of Marines approach on either side of it. The first Marine holds the hand line or hose and controls the direction of the water. The second Marine stabilizes the first and watches for safety hazards. For the training there was also a pit safety officer watching each pair of Marines.

“Safety is paramount,” said Hosenfeld. “If I deem anything unsafe or see anything unsafe I will do one of two things. I will take over the hand line myself and have the Marines back out of the pit, or I will hand signal for the trucks to rain down water.”

The Marines also considered environmental safety at the pit. Because there was excess water that runs off of the pit they surrounded the back of the pit with a berm of fuel absorbing material. Another safety precaution was an extra tanker of water and a rapid intervention team on standby.

“It’s exciting to be able to do these,” said Sgt. David Waterfield, a firefighter with Expeditionary Firefighting Rescue. “This is my first time working a training fire with jet fuel. I think the experience is important, but it also builds camaraderie and trust. There is absolutely risk involved, so you have to trust each other.”

Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Marines bring orphans Christmas

Photo By Lance Cpl. Gabriela Garcia-Herrera | U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jeffery Deal, aircraft rescue and firefighting specialist, passes a candy cane to May Yamane, a child with the local orphanage, during the ARFF Tsuta Orphanage Christmas party at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 10, 2016. ARFF holds the celebration annually to help spread holiday cheer to the orphans and to bring service members, their families and Japanese together. Marines volunteered their time and provided the children with a homemade, American meal. After dinner, a special guest came to greet the children. Santa Claus sat in a red sleigh passing out presents and candy canes to the kids. Marines were given the name, age and gender of a child from the orphanage, so they knew what kind of gift to buy for them. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gabriela Garcia-Herrera) 

MCAS IWAKUNI, YAMAGUCHI, JAPAN

12.10.2016

Story by Lance Cpl. Gabriela Garcia-Herrera 

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni

U.S. Marines with Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting, or ARFF, held a Christmas party for the ARFF Tsuta Orphanage at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 10, 2016.

ARFF holds the celebration annually to help spread holiday cheer to the orphans and to bring service members, their families and Japanese together.

Activities such as a bouncy house, Christmas cookie decorating and games were available to the children during the event.

Marines volunteered their time and provided the children with a homemade, American meal.

ARFF shared Christmas dinner with the orphans and workers from the Tsuta Orphanage to help their relationship grow.

“Sitting down to eat is something everyone does,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Israel Booth, aircraft rescue and firefighting specialist. “We’re all able to join in communion and through fellowship we’re able to create bonds and bridges with each other.”

After dinner a special guest came to greet the children. Santa Claus sat in a red sleigh and passed out presents and candy canes to the children. 

“Marines were given the name, age and gender of a child from the orphanage,” said Lance Cpl. Allison Jenkins, administration clerk and aircraft rescue and firefighting specialist. “We were able to get gifts for them and make the event come together.”

Jenkins also said seeing the kids brighten up was the best part. They run up to people and give them high fives and despite the language barrier the children are still happy and laughing.

Marines from ARFF have celebrated the holidays with their sponsored, local orphanage since the 1990s to spread Christmas spirit.

“Events like this may seem small, but they’re important,” said Booth. “Any time Americans and Japanese come together as one big happy family, where we can sit down, eat and have a good time is significant to building that relationship we have with the Japanese.”

May Yamane, a child from the local orphanage, decorates Christmas cookies at the ARFF Tsuta Orphanage Christmas party at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 10, 2016. ARFF holds the celebration annually to help spread holiday cheer to the orphans and to bring service members, their families and Japanese together. Activities such as a bouncy house, Christmas cookie decorating, and games were available to the children during the party. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gabriela Garcia-Herrera)

U.S. Marines with Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting, and their families sit together with Japanese locals from ARFF Tsuta Orphanage for a Christmas dinner at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 10, 2016. ARRF holds a Christmas party every year to help spread Christmas cheer to the orphans, and to bring service members, their families and the Japanese together. Marines volunteered their time and provided the children with a homemade, American meal. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gabriela Garcia-Herrera)

Gunnery Sgt. Matthew Viehl, assistant chief of operations with Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting serves food to a fellow Marine and his son during the Christmas dinner at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 10, 2016. ARFF holds the celebration annually to help spread holiday cheer to the orphans and to bring service members, their families and Japanese together. Marines volunteered their time and provided the children with a homemade, American meal. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gabriela Garcia-Herrera)

Cocona, a child from ARFF Tsuta Orphanage, plays corn hole during the ARFF Tsuta Christmas party at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 10, 2016. ARFF holds the event annually to help spread Christmas cheer to the orphans and to bring service members, their families and the Japanese together. Activities such as a bouncy house, Christmas cookie decorating and games were available to the children during the event. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gabriela Garcia-Herrera)

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Sean Dee, left, the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting station captain, and Gunnery Sgt. Matthew Viehl, assistant chief of operations at ARFF, prepare to serve food for the ARFF Tsuta Orphanage Christmas party at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 10, 2016. ARFF holds the party annually to help spread Christmas cheer to the orphans and to bring service members, their families and the Japanese together. Marines volunteered their time and provided the children with a homemade, American meal. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gabriela Garcia-Herrera)

Fort Indiantown Gap Fire Department earns license

Photo By Sgt. Zane Craig | Brig. Gen. Anthony Carrelli, Pennsylvania adjutant general, Brig. Gen. Timothy Hilty, assistant adjutant general – Army, and Col. Robert Hepner, garrison commander, recognized Fire Chief Donald Wilson Nov. 3, for his role in the successful Department of Health inspection of three emergency response vehicles at Fort Indiantown Gap. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Zane Craig)

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA, UNITED STATES

12.07.2016

Story by Sgt. Zane Craig 

Fort Indiantown Gap

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – Brig. Gen. Anthony Carrelli, Pennsylvania adjutant general, Brig. Gen. Timothy Hilty, assistant adjutant general – Army, and Col. Robert Hepner, garrison commander, recognized Fire Chief Donald Wilson Nov. 3, for his role in the successful Department of Health inspection of three emergency response vehicles here. 

Pennsylvania Department of Health requires vehicles to be inspected and licensed. Prior to this year, no inspection was required for certification.

A typical inspection takes from two to four hours and includes operational and administrative components. 

According to Hepner, Wilson did an excellent job preparing his team and the vehicles for the inspection. 

Wilson said he is very proud that all the hard work he and his team put into the inspection has paid off, making Fort Indiantown Gap Fire and Emergency Services one of only two percent of Pennsylvania’s approximately 1,700 fire departments to have their vehicles pass the new inspection.

The firefighters at the installation are constantly training and maintaining their certifications to ensure the safety of those working and training here.

Wilson explained the fire department has to maintain multiple certifications including HAZMAT, firefighter levels one through four, airport firefighter, driver/operator/pumper, fire officer and instructor. 

Every Department of Defense-run fire station maintains these mandates. On each shift there is a qualified emergency medical technician which allows the department to respond to medical calls and provide initial care.

Fort Indiantown Gap has more than 700 structures on post, large areas of forest, ponds, lakes and streams, airfields, live-fire bombing ranges, small arms ranges and a variety of other training areas. To help protect these facilities and the personnel using them, the station has two engines, one brush truck, two aircraft rescue and firefighting trucks, and two boats. It has more than 20 full-time, paid firefighters, some of whom are Soldiers, some state employees and some federal employees. The firefighters are on-duty 24/7 in multiple shifts.

First responders have a difficult job, but the firefighters at Fort Indiantown Gap are trained and equipped for their unique mission here.