JOITN BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
The 433rd Airlift Wing Civil Engineering Squadron Fire Protection Flight participated in a live aircraft fi re training exercise June 12 at the Aircraft Fire Training Facility here.
The purpose of the training was to enhance the 433rd CES fi refi ghters' training and knowledge to be better prepared in a deployment environment, said Master Sgt. Daniel Chapa, 433rd CES FPF training chief. Per Air Force Instruction requirements, aircraft and structural live fire training are a yearly requirement.
"The training is our bread and butter of fi refi ghting," Chapa said. "We have to be able to extinguish fires and be able to operate fi re trucks, hoses and have the hands-on experience rather than sit at a desk and read about the it. Anytime we are at a deployed location, the mission requires us to actually be there to respond to fi re emergency situations while having enough staff, if not then we cannot land aircraft anywhere there are no firefighters present."
Scott Ridenour, 502nd Civil Engineering Service Fire Emergency Service assistant chief of training, agreed about the real-world experience the training provided.
The FES provided the site, fire trucks and equipment for the 433rd AW CES firefighters participating in the training.
"The live fire exercise allows the firefighters to capture the realism of fire, allows them to feel the heat, and apply the proper techniques for fi re control," he said.