Fort McCoy firefighters serve Soldiers, community in multiple ways

Fort McCoy Fire Department firefighters refold a water hose during routine training at Station One on Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, Aug. 12, 2019. The department operates two stations that serve the 60,000 acre Army installation and its surrounding cities through various capacities like emergency medical services, aircraft rescue and firefighting, search and rescue and more. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Spc. Nicole Baker)

FORT MCCOY, WI, UNITED STATES
08.13.2019
Story by Spc. Nicole Baker
Exercise News Day 

FORT MCCOY, Wis. – Almost a year after heavy rain caused flash flooding in several areas of Monroe County, the crew at Fort McCoy Fire Department reflects on their service to the community during routine equipment checks at FMFD Station One on Aug. 12, 2019.

The department operates two fire stations that serve the 60,000 acre Army installation and its surrounding cities through various firefighting and emergency capabilities.

Cole Stanek, a firefighter at Station One, said while many fire departments just respond to structure fire calls, their mission on Fort McCoy allows them to play a larger role.

“We'll respond to regular structural fires, any other fires like grass fires on the ranges and carbon monoxide alarms … we're also EMS (emergency medical services),” said Stanek.

The department's Station Two is on Fort McCoy's south post adjacent to the airfield. This allows them to respond to emergencies on the installation and the nearby Sparta/Fort McCoy Airport.

“We also have ... a big firefighting truck that's specifically designed for aircraft,” said Stanek. “So that's another thing that many fire departments don't have – the capabilities to do crash firefighting.”

The department has mutual aid agreements with surrounding cities within 20 miles, like Oakdale, Tomah and Sparta. The agreements allow emergency responders to assist each other outside of jurisdictional boundaries.

“Last year, during the flooding, we had our boats out and were rescuing people from houses that were flooded,” explained Stanek.

The department has a search-and-rescue team with divers that does mutual aid for drown victims other water-related emergencies.

Stanek, one of the few members of the crew who isn't a military veteran, was a police officer with the Fort McCoy Police Department for 16 years and a volunteer firefighter with Union Center Fire Department for four years before joining FMFD two years ago.

Stanek said this wasn't his original career path, but he wanted to make a difference and is rewarded by being part of the Fort McCoy team.

“Just getting to work with different people and getting to see the work that everybody puts in … it's humbling to see how much it really takes,” said Stanek.

Stanek, a native of Hillsboro, Wisconsin, said he's grateful to serve the community where he lives and grew up, while supporting the Soldiers on Fort McCoy.

“I obviously respect everything that Soldiers have done for us or do for us,” said Stanek. “That really comes along with working out here. You get to see all the hard work put in, and I definitely appreciate everything – just happy to work among them.”

Firefighter David Chizek starts and examines a vehicle as part of weekly inspections at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, Aug. 12, 2019. Firefighters conduct equipment tests in order to maintain readiness. Chizek works as a firefighter while serving part-time in the U.S. Army Reserve. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sgt. Kevin Long)

Firefighter Brian Butzler uses the fire hose as part of a demonstration at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, Aug. 12, 2019. Butzler is a former U.S. Army Reserve Soldier who now serves his community as a firefighter. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sgt. Kevin Long)

355th LRS Firetruck Maintainers

TUCSON, AZ, UNITED STATES
08.06.2019
Photo by Airman 1st Class Blake Gonzales
355th Wing 

Fire equipment prepares to respond to any potential incident on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Aug 6, 2019. The 355th Logistics Readiness Squadron fire truck maintainers are responsible for routine and preventative maintenance for 13 different fire trucks. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Blake Gonzales)

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Amber Goldberg, 355th Logistics Readiness Squadron firetruck maintainer, performs routine maintenance at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Aug. 6, 2019. The maintainers perform routine maintenance and inspections to ensure the unit’s 13 firetrucks are operating properly. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jacob T. Stephens)


U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Amber Goldberg, 355th Logistics Readiness Squadron firetruck maintainer, consults with a fire chief and another maintainer in the 355th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Aug. 6, 2019. The fire department’s leadership works hand-in-hand with the maintainers to ensure successful responses to any scenario without doubts of the functionality of the firetrucks. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jacob T. Stephens)


A P-23 crash truck is staged on the flight line at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Aug. 6, 2019. Davis-Monthan’s large flying mission depends on the readiness of the Fire Department because without them flight line operations would cease. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jacob T. Stephens)


U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Amber Goldberg, 355th Logistics Readiness Squadron firetruck maintainer, replaces a bolt-on a firetruck at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Aug. 6, 2019. The LRS maintainers were specifically assigned to the fire department approximately one year ago to reduce turnaround time and ensure readiness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jacob T. Stephens)

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)