WRIGHT=PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Air Force firefighters train, equip, mobilize and provide professional emergency services anywhere and anytime, whether flames are involved or not.
“Our duties might entail providing advanced EMT skills during a cardiac arrest or extinguishing someone’s house fire,” said Master Sgt. Eric Baldridge, assistant fire chief, 445th Civil Engineer Squadron, Fire and Emergency Services Flight.
The Reserve Citizen Airmen rely on hands-on training to stay current on the constantly-evolving technologies and methods, he noted.
“Many of the folks on this team also work on a fire department in the civilian sector,” Baldridge said.
For example, Airman 1st Class Zane Standridge is new to the Air Force, but he’s also a volunteer firefighter with Huntertown Fire Department in Indiana, where he’s responded to nearly 20 structure fires over the course of two years.
“It’s really important in that moment right before you step into a burning building, that you aren’t second-guessing whether or not your team can communicate and move together,” Standridge said. ”Those are skills you want to practice and refine before you actually get out there.”
In the Air Force, fire protection teams respond to not only structure fires, but also traffic accidents and emergencies unique to aircraft, like stuck landing gear, fuel spills, smoke in the cabin and crashes.
“We’re on standby for emergencies, but fire prevention is our main priority,” said Senior Airman Austin Taylor, fire protection apprentice. “The goal is to not have to fight fires, we’d rather prevent them.”
Around base, sprinklers, smoke alarms and fire retardant building materials help mitigate the risk of fire damage.
“We’re here to ensure the safety of Airmen and our assets,” Taylor added.
For the firefighters, being ready to respond during crisis is one of the most rewarding aspects of the job.
“On the potential worst day of someone’s life, it’s a great feeling that my team and I can be there to help,” Baldridge said.