Saving lives: In the Heat of the moment

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jack Sanders
  • 3rd Wing Public Affairs
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  In the events of September 11, 2001 the American people witnessed firsthand the responsibility and importance of firefighters.

Whether they're working to keep the aircraft on the flightline safe, training in their firehouse, or demonstrating the importance of fire safety. Elmendorf firefighters are honoring the firefighters from 9/11 every day.

Being a firefighter comes with many challenges but, "it's exciting," exclaimed Airman 1st Class Andrew Morris, 3rd Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter. Airman Morris is new to the career field but said he feels enthusiastic about his job.

Unlike most jobs where one particular element that's more challenging or beneficial than others with firefighting the hardest part is "everything," said Staff Sgt. Scott Strobel, 3rd CES rescue crew chief.

"It's especially difficult for the rescue crew," said Sergeant Strobel. "If an F-22 comes in with problems, that's a $185 million aircraft you're responsible for."

Being a firefighter at times can seem to be like being on a quiz show that requires you to memorize things and repeat them back when needed.

"We've got to know the F-22, the F-15, the C-17s and a dozen other aircraft in and out," said sergeant Strobel. "We have to know all their egress procedures. How to get in the aircraft and the specifications on them."

The most unique thing about Air Force fire protection versus civilian fire protection is specialties.

"If you go to a civilian department you'll find firefighters, you'll find another unit for EMS, or medical guys and you have another unit that's hazmat," said Tech. Sgt. Rikk Matteson, 3rd CES A shift battalion chief. "Those units only do one thing and that's primarily their job."

A diverse firehouse full of different specialties won't be found on any Air Force installation. Unlike their civilian counterparts, Air Force fire protection is required to train and take on all specialites. "We specialize in all of them," said Sergeant Matteson.

Elmendorf firefighters do have a few benefits from living in Alaska.

"It's big, but you get the training like EMT3 you do not get that anywhere else, that's basically the Alaska Paramedic," said Sergeant Strobel. "That's a huge thing up here. We get swift water rescue training up here, and we have ice recue training also. It's just a big base with so much stuff to know."

Another benefit with Alaska is having a joint base, said Sergeant Matteson.

"What's great about JBER is not only do we do the Air Force fire protection but the Army fire protection too. We have a whole other air field to cover on the army side. They learn how the Army works, they learn their terminology they learn the ins and outs of the Army. Which, for us, is great."

It's a firefighters main goal to protect life and property, Sergeant Strobel said. When the time comes to take on a deployment, these Airmen may see an entirely different set of scenarios.

"Deployments are like night and day," said Sgt. Matteson. "I would say that at least 50 to 60 percent of the experiences that I've had in some of the better real world medicals, real world structural fires have happened in deployments."

In the U.S. fire prevention standards are so high, firefighters don't see as many structural fires. But, in a deployed setting with the different host nations there becomes many new scenarios.

"I would say most of my experience as far as real world fires and major incidents have come from deployment settings," said Sergeant Matteson.

"Everyone's got a story from overseas," said Sergeant Strobel.

"I was in Afghanistan in 2001, and we had a huge wood pile, dump area and once that thing caught fire we discovered that there were just a bunch of discarded munitions, frags, and phosphorous flares just all sorts of stuff that you wouldn't find here in a home station," said Sergeant Matteson. "You wouldn't expect to go to a trash fire and find that kind of stuff there. You don't go to a structure fire, for the most part, in a residence and start having grenades and 50 caliber rounds blowing off like you would when we go to a structure fire in a deployed setting because those guys live with their weapons so it's just another thing we have to deal with."

The 3rd CES firefighters may have a busy job at home station and deployed, but it's a necessary job that may save lives.

"There's nothing like the feeling you get from knowing you make a difference," said Sergeant Strobel.