445th Airlift Wing firefighters train during UTA

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Robert Nelson
  • 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  The members of the 445th Fire Protection Service gathered at the fire fighting training site November 22. More than a dozen fire fighters met under the training eyes of Master Sgt. Ken Finch, assistant chief of training, and Master Sgt. Harley Sheppard, assistant chief of operations, who have a total of more than 40 years of fire service experience.

While the focus of training in the morning was directed towards ventilation of structures and a review of the tools of the trade, the latter half of the day was spent training on the deployment of ladders and structure rescue operations.

According to Sergeant Finch, the training was directed towards the newer members of the unit as well as others with some experience.

It was also prevalent during the training that this unit used their time wisely. There were full-time and part-time civil service fire fighters sharing techniques and experience. This not only bonds them as a single unit, but also serves as a think tank. Civilian fire departments that employ these reservists also benefit from the training. These fire fighters show each other what exactly works when climbing the ladder and what does not.

Observing the firefighters during training, one could not help but notice the devotion to their wingman. Safety is paramount. Not one fire fighter was without proper gear, gloves, and helmet. They watched over each other as a father would over his child.

Recently six members returned from a deployment to Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq. They were actively involved in the training to help fellow Airmen who do not have the "real world" experience that they gained while deployed. The team spent the weekend training for a future annual tour.

When the 445th Airmen activate for deployments, they will serve as the lead team in combating any incident involving the C-5. This illustrates the quality of training our fire fighters and other in fire protection receive, stated Sergeant Finch.