CLDJ and CJTF-HOA combat Djibouti landfill fire

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CAMP LEMONNIER, DJIBOUTI
08.14.2019
Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Shannon D. Barnwell
Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti 

DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti - Members of the Camp Lemonnier Fire and Emergency Services assist in a multinational effort to extinguish a fire at the Douda landfill at the request of the government of Djibouti and in support of the U.S. Embassy Djibouti, Aug. 14, 2019. Camp Lemonnier is an operational installation that enables U.S., allied and partner nation forces to be where and when they are needed to ensure security in Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Shannon D. Barnwell)

Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Shannon D. Barnwell


Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Shannon D. Barnwell


Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Shannon D. Barnwell

Noticeable Dedication

CHERRY POINT, NC, UNITED STATES
08.15.2019
Story by Pfc. Aliannah Bartok
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point 

Col. Todd W. Ferry, former Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point commanding officer, is presented with a plaque by Cherry Point Fire and Emergency Services as a token of their appreciation for his hard work and dedication to the emergency services. Under Ferry’s leadership Cherry Point Fire and Emergency Services became the only emergency services agency in the Marine Corps to be at 100 percent staffing.
“It’s just a way of saying thank you for everything he did for our department and our agency during his three years as the commanding officer of the air station,” said Nicholas Salter, MCAS Cherry Point Fire chief.
Ferry addressed the firefighters and thanked them for their dedication during Hurricane Florence that tore through North Carolina in 2018, and multitude other calls the unit answered.
“It comes with the relationship, the time spent down in the firehouse with the men and women in all three fire stations,” said Ferry. “Watching them do their job, day in and day out through big events like the air show and even bigger events like Hurricane Florence.”
Ferry turned over command of the air station to Col. Mikel R. Huber on Aug. 2, 2019, and is currently awaiting appointment to become Marine Corps Installation East deputy commander.


U.S. Marine Corps Col. Todd W. Ferry, left, the former Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, commanding officer, and Nicholas Salter, right, the Cherry Point Fire Chief, pose for a photo at MCAS Cherry Point on August 15, 2019. Ferry has presented a plaque as a token of their appreciation for his hard work and dedication to the emergency services. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Aliannah T. Bartok)


U.S. Marine Corps Col. Todd W. Ferry, the former Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, commanding officer, speaks with Cherry Point Fire and Emergency Services personnel at MCAS Cherry Point on August 15, 2019. Ferry was presented a plaque as a token of their appreciation for his hard work and dedication to the emergency services. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Aliannah T. Bartok)

Welcome to Pendleton: MCB Camp Pendleton Fire Department

Jeremy Horton, a firefighter with Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Fire Department, conducts a maintenance check on gear during the duty change over at MCB Camp Pendleton Fire Department Station Five on MCB Camp Pendleton, California, Aug. 1, 2019. The MCB Camp Pendleton firefighters operate on 48-hour shifts, and spend the first morning of their shift assessing and cleaning vehicles and equipment to ensure mission readiness. The fire department has 11 stations on the installation and over 100 firefighters to act as first responders in the event of a fire or emergency. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Drake Nickels)


CAMP PENDLETON, CA, UNITED STATES
08.01.2019
Story by Lance Cpl. Drake Nickels
Marine Corps Installations West - Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton 

With approximately 70,000 Marines and families living on the installation, Camp Pendleton is a self-sufficient small community in the middle of San Diego county. The community takes pride in having some of the best services and organizations know in the Department of Defense. One of these organizations is the MCB Camp Pendleton Fire Department.

The MCB Camp Pendleton Fire Department opened its doors in 1942. Since then, the department’s personnel have been in charge of ensuring that the families on the installation can rest easy and stay safe. To keep fires from running into residential areas or into the surrounding communities, the department cuts roughly 200 acres of firebreaks each year. In 2016, the fire department was named the DOD fire department of the year, and was responsible for more than 3,700 emergency responses.

“Our true mission is to support the warfighter,” said John Crook, the deputy chief with the Camp Pendleton Fire Department. “The training mission requires this service to support the warfighter and maintain the safety of their families.”

The department has 11 stations on the installation and over 100 firefighters. The stations are all equipped with standard firefighting equipment, but some are strategically placed around the base and carry specialized gear for the areas they are in. The stations located closer to training areas are equipped with vehicles and equipment that would be used for wildland fires, but stations stationed near housing communities and Interstate Highway 5 are equipped with more rescue and aid equipment.

Each firefighter in the department is trained in emergency medical services, firefighting skills and hazardous material operations at a minimum, but firefighters will continue to train and receive other certifications and qualifications while on the job at MCB Camp Pendleton. Through experience and additional certifications the firefighters may be in charge of paramedics or vehicle operations. The firefighters are in charge of providing medical aid and transportation for vehicle accidents, sports injuries, training incidents or any other medical emergencies, so it is important that the department stays up to par with any training they may need.

During their first year working on Camp Pendleton, a firefighter must complete a career development plan. The material gone over during the first year reiterates the basics to ensure nothing was forgotten from their schooling. Training is crucial because they are expected to respond to wildfires along with being first responders for other types of emergencies on MCB Camp Pendleton.

MCB Camp Pendleton facilitates training for the Camp Pendleton Fire Department and several surrounding agencies. The impact zones and training areas allow for unique wildland fire training opportunities. This allows for interagency training and it also creates a strong bond with departments in the surrounding communities.

“Through mutual aid, we support each other,” said Crook. “It's unique here because of the real estate we have allows us to provide wildland fire training.”

When not actively engaged on a call, conducting training or cutting firebreaks, the personnel stay in the station, preparing gear, cooking meals and enjoying each other's company. The department values camaraderie because during a fire the firefighters must trust that each individual will perform their tasks successfully.

“We are always happy to get together when we get a chance,” said Joe Laparl, a firefighter with Camp Pendleton Fire Department. “We are especially grateful to get together at the end of the day for dinner at the station during fire season.”

Working together in 48-hour shifts, the teams commonly build bonds and share stories. Though there are no active duty service members among the department, there are many veterans from all branches of service. On occasion, the Camp Pendleton Fire Department will employ Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Marines stationed on Camp Pendleton after their end of active service.

“Prior to joining the Marine Corps, being a firefighter was always something I wanted to do,” said Nicholas Potthast, a firefighter with Camp Pendleton Fire Department. “After I got out, I decided to make firefighting a career.”

The Camp Pendleton Fire Department is an essential part of the mission accomplishment for Marines on MCB Camp Pendleton. With the men and women of the department on watch, Pendleton Marines can continue to train without fear of fires.

Shannon Brinson, a firefighter with Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Fire Department, checks expiration dates on medication during the duty change over at MCB Camp Pendleton Fire Department Station Five on MCB Camp Pendleton, California, Aug. 1, 2019. The MCB Camp Pendleton firefighters operate on 48-hour shifts, and spend the first morning of their shift assessing and cleaning vehicles and equipment to ensure mission readiness. The fire department has 11 stations on the installation and over 100 firefighters to act as first responders in the event of a fire or emergency. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Drake Nickels)


Robert Fleisher, a lieutenant paramedic with the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Fire Department, performs a function check on a fire engine's air brakes during the duty change over at MCB Camp Pendleton Fire Department Station Five on MCB Camp Pendleton, California, Aug. 1, 2019. The MCB Camp Pendleton firefighters operate on 48-hour shifts and spend the first morning of their shift assessing and cleaning vehicles and equipment to ensure mission readiness. The fire department has 11 stations on the installation and over 100 firefighters to act as first responders in the event of a fire or emergency. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Drake Nickels)

Tyndall AFB Holds First Prescribed Burn Since Michael

Photo By Senior Airman Kevin Tanenbaum | A UTV patrols the 600 acre area of prescribed fire set by Air Force Civil Engineer Center Fire Management on Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, July 19, 2019. The prescribed fire was used to clear blowdown left over from Hurricane Michael and reduce the amount of available fuels for potential wildfires. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kevin Tanenbaum) 

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE , FL, UNITED STATES
07.24.2019
Story by Senior Airman Kevin Tanenbaum
325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --
The first prescribed fire since Hurricane Michael took place on area of the base adjacent to Silver Flag training site here, July 19, 2019.

Air Force Civil Engineer Center Fire Management set ablaze 600 acres of uninhabited forest ‘blowdown’ that was devastated by the category five hurricane. As the name implies, blowdown is the debris left over in the forested area by the hurricane.

Prescribed fires are necessary in order to remove the blowdown from the storm and limit the amount of fuels available for wildfires, according to Dale Pfau, U.S. Air Force east regional fire management officer.

Started by a helicopter dropping small igniters into the designated area, the fire is 100 percent contained by members patrolling the area.

“With a prescribed fire there’s a lot of planning and effort that goes into putting it together,” said Pfau. “We get to dictate how the fire burns as opposed to it telling us what it wants to do.”

As with any fire, a level of danger is present and AFCEC has provided safeguards to keep the fire contained to their specifications.

“We have people on the ground, including fire engines and UTVs, patrolling the lines making sure that the fire stays within the unit we want,” said Pfau. “If we do get something outside of that unit, we have people who can extinguish that pretty quickly.”

This first of multiple prescribed burns was planned in order to clear leftover blowdown from the category five hurricane.

Once the burned remains are removed, the Air Force plans on replanting the area on Tyndall AFB, said Pfau.

Dale Pfau, U.S. Air Force east regional fire management officer, uses a radio to communicate with the helicopter starting the prescribed fire from above at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, July 19, 2019. This is the first prescribed fire since the category five hurricane devastated the 29 thousand acres of forest on Tyndall AFB. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kevin Tanenbaum)

A helicopter flies over and ignites a prescribed fire across a 600-acre area of Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, July 19, 2019. The helicopter dropped ping pong ball sized igniters over the entire area to start the prescribed fire. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kevin Tanenbaum)

Latvian firefighters train with U.S. counterparts during Northern Strike 19

ALPENA, MI, UNITED STATES
07.22.2019
Photo by Capt. Benjamin Hughes
175th WG - Maryland Air National Guard

Latvian Air Force firefighter Ilze Jansone prepares to train with a U.S. Air Force self-contained breathing apparatus during Northern Strike 19 at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Mich., July 22, 2019. Northern Strike 19 is a National Guard Bureau-sponsored exercise uniting service members from more than 20 states, multiple service branches and numerous coalition countries during the last two weeks of July 2019 at the Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center and the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, both located in northern Michigan and operated by the Michigan National Guard. The accredited Joint National Training Capability exercise demonstrates the Michigan National Guard’s ability to provide accessible, readiness-building opportunities for military units from all service branches to achieve and sustain proficiency in conducting mission command, air, sea, and ground maneuver integration, together with the synchronization of fires in a joint, multinational, decisive action environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Capt. Benjamin Hughes)


Latvian Air Force firefighter Ritvars Šteins stands in front of a P-23 Crash truck, an aircraft rescue and fire fighting vehicle, during Northern Strike 19 at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Mich., July 22, 2019. Northern Strike 19 is a National Guard Bureau-sponsored exercise uniting service members from more than 20 states, multiple service branches and numerous coalition countries during the last two weeks of July 2019 at the Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center and the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, both located in northern Michigan and operated by the Michigan National Guard. The accredited Joint National Training Capability exercise demonstrates the Michigan National Guard’s ability to provide accessible, readiness-building opportunities for military units from all service branches to achieve and sustain proficiency in conducting mission command, air, sea, and ground maneuver integration, together with the synchronization of fires in a joint, multinational, decisive action environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Capt. Benjamin Hughes)


Michigan State employee firefighter Jeremy Lafeldt (right) shows Estonian Air Force firefighter Sgt. Karl-Henrich Rohtaas the capabilities of the P-19R Striker Crash truck, an aircraft rescue and fire fighting vehicle, during Northern Strike 19 at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Mich., July 22, 2019. Northern Strike 19 is a National Guard Bureau-sponsored exercise uniting service members from more than 20 states, multiple service branches and numerous coalition countries during the last two weeks of July 2019 at the Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center and the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, both located in northern Michigan and operated by the Michigan National Guard. The accredited Joint National Training Capability exercise demonstrates the Michigan National Guard’s ability to provide accessible, readiness-building opportunities for military units from all service branches to achieve and sustain proficiency in conducting mission command, air, sea, and ground maneuver integration, together with the synchronization of fires in a joint, multinational, decisive action environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Capt. Benjamin Hughes)


U.S. Air Force Technical Sgt. James Atchison, a firefighter with the 180th Civil Engineering Squadron, shows Latvian Air Force firefighter Ilze Jansone how to use a U.S. Air Force self-contained breathing apparatus during Northern Strike 19 at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Mich., July 22, 2019. Northern Strike 19 is a National Guard Bureau-sponsored exercise uniting service members from more than 20 states, multiple service branches and numerous coalition countries during the last two weeks of July 2019 at the Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center and the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, both located in northern Michigan and operated by the Michigan National Guard. The accredited Joint National Training Capability exercise demonstrates the Michigan National Guard’s ability to provide accessible, readiness-building opportunities for military units from all service branches to achieve and sustain proficiency in conducting mission command, air, sea, and ground maneuver integration, together with the synchronization of fires in a joint, multinational, decisive action environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Capt. Benjamin Hughes)