Sailors assigned to the crash and salvage team aboard Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70)

 

SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES

12.03.2020

Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Haydn Smith 

USS Carl Vinson  

201203-N-HS181-1022 PACIFIC OCEAN (Dec. 3, 2020) Sailors assigned to the crash and salvage team aboard Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) stand at the ready on the ship’s flight deck. Vinson is currently underway conducting routine maritime operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Haydn N. Smith/Released)

Navy Damage Controlman from DOD Firefighter Apparel

Duke Field fuel cell hangar fire suppression system

 

High expansion foam begins to fill the newly renovated fuel cell hangar as part of a fire suppression system test at Duke Field, Florida, Dec. 2, 2020. The system test is one of the last steps towards the hangar renovation completion. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dylan Gentile)

DUKE FIELD, Fla. --

The 919th Special Operations Wing and 492 SOW will soon have a newly renovated fuel cell hangar ready for use. Civil engineers and contractors performed a fire suppression test last week marking one of the final steps for project completion.

“We are excited to get in this thing,” said Lt. Col. Brent Payton, 492 SOW director of strategic requirements. “Right now, if we do fuel cell maintenance in one of the other hangars it actually shuts it down because we are not allowed to open tanks and do fuel cell maintenance with anything else in them.”

The fuel cell hangar renovations included improvements for the heating ventilation and air conditioning system, electrical work, a mechanical room update and adjustment of the fire suppression system to accommodate the C-146A Wolfhound. During renovations, fuel cell work was done in other hangars.

The new fire suppression system uses high expansion foam that is fluorine and surfactant-free with a higher ratio of air to water in the finished product making it more environmentally friendly than low expansion foam. This new system replaced the low expansion foam system that was previously in place.

“Before the renovation, the fuel cell hangar protected the airplanes using a fire-fighting system called aqueous film-forming foam,” said Lazaro Martin, the 919 SOW facilities operations specialist. “The AFFF system was very effective fighting fuel fires, but it was also very toxic. The new system is basically water mixed with soap to make a lot of air bubbles to smother and fight the fire. After a high expansion foam dump, the next day all the soap bubbles are gone and the hangar floor is ready to be squeegeed up.”

During the fire suppression test, contractors examined the concentration levels of the foam, flow rate and speed at which the foam filled the hangar. They also tested the visual and auditory alarms in the system.

“The new hangar will reduce the amount of aircraft downtime,” said Senior Master Sgt. David Dean, 919th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron accessories flight chief. “They are going to have all the tools and all of the necessary safety equipment in the hanger so on average they will probably save ten to fifteen hours of aircraft downtime.”

When the fuel cell offices move into the newly renovated hangar, space will be freed up in another building for an innovation lab. Innovation resources are currently fragmented in different locations around Duke, so the consolidation will provide a one-stop shop for innovation projects.

The hangar is scheduled to be ready for use in early 2021.

Water pours out of foam generators as part of a fire suppression system test in the newly renovated fuel cell hangar at Duke Field, Florida, Dec. 2, 2020. The fire suppression test is one of the final steps to make the hangar mission ready for 919th Special Operations Wing and 492 SOW maintainers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dylan Gentile)

DOD Fire Academy

 

GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, TX, UNITED STATES
12.10.2020
Photo by Senior Airman Abbey Rieves 
17th Training Wing Public Affairs  
 
Joint services collaborate in vertical ventilation training simulations at the Louis F. Garland Department of Defense Fire Academy on Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 10, 2020. The DOD fire academy provided training to uniformed and civilian members of the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and other organizations while building partnership capacities with allied nations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Abbey Rieves)

U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Eugene Dotson, 312th Training Squadron fire protection instructor, coaches Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Geovannie Rios-Santos, 312th Training Squadron fire protection student, on weight distribution and proper ways to quickly remove the combustible roof during a vertical ventilation training exercise at the Louis F. Garland Department of Defense Fire Academy on Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 10, 2020. Vertical ventilation was an offensive strategy that students utilized to create a 4x4 foot exhaust port in order to remove hot and toxic air from inside the burning building. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Abbey Rieves)

Trying to sell me that UHP.

 

Goodfellow hosts AETC Deputy Commander

 

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. William Spangenthal, Air Education and Training Command deputy commander, rappels down a trainer wall at the Department of Defense Louis F. Garland Fire Academy on Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 1, 2020, with the assistance of Tech. Sgt. James Mullenix, 312th Training Squadron instructor. Spangenthal participated in several demonstrations while visiting Goodfellow. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Seraiah Wolf)

GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, TX, UNITED STATES

12.03.2020

Story by Staff Sgt. Seraiah Wolf 

17th Training Wing Public Affairs  

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Maj. Gen. William Spangenthal, Air Education and Training Command deputy commander, visited here Dec. 1-2 to see how Airmen are modernizing today’s training to execute tomorrow’s demands while fighting through COVID-19.

The 312th Training Squadron escorted Spangenthal to the Department of Defense Louis F. Garland Fire Academy in a training firetruck. The academy is in charge of training the next generation of firefighters across all branches of the military for the DoD.

Upon arriving at the fire academy, Lt. Col. Michael McCourt, 312th TRS commander, gave Spangenthal a tour to demonstrate how the squadron is building the campus of the future, today.

“Most of our facilities that you see were built in the 90’s. We are in the process of renovating and building new trainers that are more advanced.” said McCourt. “We will have more trainers capable of accommodating multiple requirements for the various blocks of training that we conduct.”

Within the 312th TRS, there is also Special Instruments Training, a very small career field that performs a multitude of jobs in data analytics, always adapting to the needs of the operational Air Force.

“Our focus here is to give the students the closest thing to what they may experience in the operational career field,” said Master Sgt. Manuel Campo, 312th TRS instructor. “We have set up this lab with almost everything that a student would have access to at their first base.”

Throughout COVID-19 many members have had to adapt. Spangenthal was shown how Goodfellow is normalizing hybrid learning by attending a virtual class. He also heard about some of the challenges instructors faced while altering curriculum to make it virtual friendly, such as, ensuring all unclassified material is available to students online.

“Leadership understands that COVID has been a lot to deal with,” said Spangenthal. “Goodfellow adapted by adjusting courses, continuing training, and helping Airmen get out into the operational Air Force to do their jobs.”

During the visit, Spangenthal also visited front line warriors in the pandemic and saw them in action at the 17th Medical Group. The 17th MDG is focused on being prevention postured and response ready. The 17th MDG has been making sure the base continues to accomplish its mission of training and inspiring the future force by focusing on prevention and preparing for any outbreak.

Goodfellow trains more than just firefighters. Spangenthal witnessed how Goodfellow is also transforming Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance professionals through the continuum of learning. Goodfellow is changing the way students learn by adjusting courses to incorporate more virtual reality and hands on training.

Throughout all of the changes, updates, and overcoming challenges, leadership has not forgotten about Airmen’s quality of life. Spangenthal received a tour of a temporary dormitory that is a bridge to deliberate investment. He also toured dorms located at Angelo State University in San Angelo, which demonstrates the power of community partnerships. The first partnership agreement of its kind, this endeavor allowed housing for students in class on Goodfellow, freeing up rooms on base that need updating.

Leaders from ASU and Goodfellow explained various partnerships that are being explored between the college and base.

“Throughout COVID-19 Goodfellow has not just survived,” said Col. Andres Nazario, 17th TRW commander. “We as a team, as a base, and as a community have found ways to thrive during this trying time in the country.”