New York Guard troops continue Lake Ontario flood response

Courtesy Photo | Members of the New York Naval Militia deploy a water filled barrier on the Lake Ontario shoreline to protect property from rising lake waters on May, 29, 2019. The New York Naval Militia has deployed two patrol boats and crews, and personnel to provide assistance on the shoreline, as the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs reacts to very high waters on Lake Ontario. ( New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs photos by New York Naval Militia Commander Don McKnight)

ROCHESTER, NY, UNITED STATES
06.17.2019
Story by Eric Durr
New York National Guard

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – As water levels in Lake Ontario reached more than 2 feet higher than normal on June 16, the New York National Guard and New York’s state military forces had 453 personnel focused on flood control issues around the lake shore.

This included 422 personnel working directly on shoreline issues and 29 personnel involved in support for the mission.

Along with 262 National Guard Soldiers and 57 National Guard Airmen, 80 members of the New York Naval Militia were on the mission and 54 members of the New York Guard, the state’s volunteer defense force, were assisting.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo ordered 100 troops to state active duty on May 4 as heavy rains made water levels in Lake Ontario rise. Since then, more troops have been brought on duty as water levels in the lake got higher.

High water levels in streams in Ontario and Quebec initially limited the amount of water that could be discharged through the Moses-Sanders Dam at Massena, New York, into the St. Lawrence River. Since then the Canadian-U.S. International Joint Commission, which controls water levels in the Great Lakes, has increased the flow of water out of the lake system.

All the water in the Great Lakes runs into Lake Ontario from the Niagara River and over Niagara Falls.

The New York troops have been involved in filling sandbags for emplacement by other agencies and property owners and have also been emplacing sandbags when necessary.

Other state and local government agencies are also making and filling sandbags.

Since the mission began on May 4, Joint Task Force Ontario personnel have filled 284,332 sandbags and emplaced 292,814.

Each sandbag takes about 30 pounds of sand. The bags are stacked in layers with plastic sheeting to form a barrier to keep out water.

It takes about 540 sandbags to create a water-resistant wall 30 feet long and three feet high.

The team has also emplaced 14,055 feet of water-bladder dams designed to protect large areas.

Joint Task Force Ontario is currently configured into 23 strike teams using 72 rental vehicles and 12 military vehicles.

The teams are working out of armories in Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester and Fort Drum and at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station.

As of June 14, the personnel on the mission have conducted 257 missions.

With water levels above historic norms, high winds on the lake can cause waves which delay sandbag emplacement missions, task force leaders said.

The New York Naval Militia, whose members serve in the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Reserve and volunteer for state active duty missions in addition to federal service, briefly deployed two patrol boats to Lake Ontario in support of the mission there.

RAF Mildenhall firefighters visit local school

MILDENHALL, SFK, UNITED KINGDOM
06.19.2019
Photo by Senior Airman Luke Milano
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs 

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Daniel Howard, 100th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, helps a student put on firefighting equipment at Great Heath Academy, Mildenhall, England, June 19, 2019. The firefighters showed students how they use their gear and allowed them to try it on. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Luke Milano)

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Daniel Howard and Sergio Villela, 100th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighters, help a student put on firefighting equipment during a fire safety demonstration at Great Heath Academy, Mildenhall, England, June 19, 2019. The firefighters showed students how they use their gear and allowed them to try it on. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Luke Milano)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Alek Rodriguez, 100th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, dons his firefighting equipment during a demonstration for students at Great Heath Academy, Mildenhall, England, June 19, 2019. Volunteers from the 100th CES fire department came to the school to teach fire safety and show the students firefighting equipment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Luke Milano)

“Sparky” the 100th Civil Engineer Squadron fire dog, gives a student a hug during a firefighting demonstration at Great Heath Academy, Mildenhall, England, June 19, 2019. Volunteers from the 100th CES fire department came to the school to teach fire safety and show the students firefighting equipment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Luke Milano)

Urban Search and Rescue Operations Training in Okinawa

Marine Corps Installations Pacific Fire and Emergency Services and a Kadena Fire Department Rescue Technician enter the breached wall May, 29, 2019 at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan. MCIPAC Fire and Emergency Services trained alongside Kadena Fire Department Rescue Technicians and Navy Corpsman from the U.S. Naval Hospital to engage scenarios of possible terrorism and, or, structural collapse due to the environmental elements presented on Okinawa. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Brennan J. Beauton)

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, JAPAN
05.29.2019
Story by Lance Cpl. Brennan Beauton
Marine Corps Installations Pacific 
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CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan -- Marine Corps Installations Pacific Fire and Emergency Services exercised urban search and rescue interoperability training alongside Kadena Fire Department Rescue technicians and Navy Corpsman from the U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa for a simulated structural collapse May 29-30, 2019 on Camp Hansen, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler.

The training was designed to simulate scenarios of possible terrorism, or structural collapse due to environmental extremes presented on Okinawa.

“Training always prepares for us to respond to real-world emergencies,” said Staff Sgt. Kyle Ledford, a firefighter for Kadena Fire Emergency and Services. “They can happen anytime, anywhere, so we have to train to practice our skills, hone them, and make them better.”

Crews arrived on scene to a possible terroristic event. The simulation systematically unraveled as a vehicle had careened over victims and crashed into a two-story building exploding into a fireball perpetuating a partial building collapse.

“This training consists of an emergency response to a situation for example; if an earthquake, typhoon or even a terrorist attack hits and a building on an installation collapses, we will be prepared to support ourselves,” said Jerry Bowling, assistant chief of operations MCIPAC Fire and Emergency Services Japan.

The firefighters worked to extinguish a fire, triage surface victims and called for the mobilization of the MCIPAC Urban Search and Rescue team while Corpsman addressed the immediate needs of multiple critical patients for a Mass Casualty Incident. Kadena Fire Department’s rescue technicians arrived on scene to support a labor intensive rescue effort of trapped persons.

“I would say the hardest part of this training is cutting into the concrete structure,” said Ledford. “It’s very time consuming and a lot of manual labor to use the equipment.”

After rescue technicians worked together to stabilize crumbling structures from further collapse, they breached six inch thick concrete walls, braced ceilings, and navigated an extremely confined space to conduct lifesaving rescue operations.

According to Bowling, today’s training was an avenue to test the three agencies ability communicate and operate successfully.

“To put the pieces in place and to rescue somebody, communication is vital,” said Bowling. “This will definitely help in real-world situations. The more hands-on training we have the better we are able to communicate with each other and rescue whomever maybe in trouble.”



Marine Corps Installations Pacific Fire and Emergency Services execute a dirty breach of a wall May, 29, 2019 at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan. MCIPAC Fire and Emergency Services trained alongside Kadena Fire Department Rescue Technicians and Navy Corpsman from the U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa to engage scenarios of possible terrorism and, or, structural collapse due to the environmental elements presented on Okinawa. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Brennan J. Beauton)

Marine Corps Installations Pacific Fire and Emergency Services simulate carrying out a patient May, 29, 2019 at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan. MCIPAC Fire and Emergency Services trained alongside Kadena Fire Department Rescue Technicians and Navy Corpsman from the U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa to engage scenarios of possible terrorism and, or, structural collapse due to the environmental elements presented on Okinawa. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Brennan J. Beauton)

Forward Arming and Refueling Point Operations during Sentinel Edge 2019

COLD LAKE, AB, CANADA
06.18.2019
Photo by Sgt. Andy Martinez 
Marine Forces Reserve 

U.S. Marine aircraft rescue and firefighting specialists with Marine Wing Support Squadron 471, Marine Aircraft Group 41, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, pose for a photo during a Forward Arming Refueling Point operation at Cold Lake Air Weapons Range, Alberta, Canada, June 18, 2019, in support of Sentinel Edge 19. Exercises like SE19 ensure MARFORRES is a proficient force, ready for world-wide deployment at any given time. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Andy O. Martinez)

A UH-1Y Venom with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 775, Marine Aircraft Group 41, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, prepares to take off during Forward Arming Refueling Point operations at Cold Lake Air Weapons Range, Alberta, Canada, June 18, 2019, in support of Sentinel Edge 19. Exercises like SE19 ensure MARFORRES is a proficient force, ready for world-wide deployment at any given time. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Andy O. Martinez)

A U.S. Marine with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 775, Marine Aircraft Group 41, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, prepares a training rocket during Forward Arming Refueling Point operations at Cold Lake Air Weapons Range, Alberta, Canada, June 18, 2019, in support of Sentinel Edge 19. Exercises like SE19 ensure MARFORRES is a proficient force, ready for world-wide deployment at any given time. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Andy O. Martinez)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Evan Zink, left, a radio operator; Cpl. Michael Hedlund, center, a radio technician, and Cpl. Devan Wanek, right, a radio operator, all with Marine Wing Support Squadron 471, Marine Aircraft Group 41, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, pose for a photo during a Forward Arming Refueling Point operation at Cold Lake Air Weapons Range, Alberta, Canada, June 18, 2019, in support of Sentinel Edge 19. Exercises like SE19 ensure MARFORRES is a proficient force, ready for world-wide deployment at any given time. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Andy O. Martinez)

Turn up the heat: Camp Pendleton Fire Department hosts Wildland Fire School

CAMP PENDLETON, CA, UNITED STATES
06.05.2019
Photo by Sgt. Gabino Perez
Marine Corps Installations West - Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton 

Firefighters from numerous Southern California firefighting agencies participate in the annual Wildland Fire School on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, June 5, 2019. The training is hosted by the Camp Pendleton Fire Department to strengthen partnerships with the surrounding agencies and to perform prescribed burns on the Installations training areas in preparation for the upcoming fire season. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Gabino Perez)

(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Gabino Perez)

(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Gabino Perez)