Fire, Crash and Rescue detachment supports aviation mission

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Aubree Rundle | During a training exercise, three fire fighters from 95th Engineer Detachment, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade prepare for clearing a house by putting on their oxygen masks at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.  

KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN

10.04.2009

Story by Sgt. Aubree Rundle 

82nd Combat Aviation Brigade

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — The aviation mission continues to maximize freedom of movement and assist ground force elements throughout the southern region of Afghanistan and providing support to the western region as well.

With the countless hours logged executing combat operations, risk assessments and support assets must be readily available in the event of an incident with aircraft or crews.

The 95th Engineer detachment, assigned to the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade in southern Afghanistan holds the operational responsibility for fire, crash and rescue missions in the southern region.

"Primarily, the fire fighter's mission in southern Afghanistan is to provide Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting to the 82nd CAB assets and to support the buildup missions in Regional Command West," said Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Michalek, noncommissioned officer-in-charge, 95th Engineer Detachment.

A combination of fire fighter teams from Fort Polk, La., Fort Drum, N. Y., Fort Campbell, Ky., and Fort Stewart, Ga. make up the five teams in 95th Engineer Detachment.

Each team is equipped with one Tactical Fire Fighting Truck that has capabilities for structural, aircraft and wild land fire fighting, said Michalek. "It carries one thousand gallons of water, 60 gallons each of class A and B foam and six crew members."

Operating on 72 hour shifts, the crews stand by in support of incidences that would call for the response and support of fire and rescue assets on Kandahar Airfield.

"We plan to expand our support to other forward operating bases in southern and western Afghanistan to provide rescue capabilities to other force elements in the months to come," said Staff Sgt. Derek Caterinicchio, fire fighter crew chief, 95th Engineer Detachment.

While on and off duty, the teams maintain mission readiness by conducting scenario training such as glass house clearance; this allows teams to respond to a building fire and possible victims trapped inside. Communication clearance of all obstacles and team cohesion affect every passing second of the scenario. Other training conducted such as downed aircraft response and casualty extraction and vehicle extraction also apply to the fire fighter team's mission demands.

"The training allows the teams to work with different people and familiarization of each other's techniques," said Spc. Keith Fulton, fire fighter, 95th Engineer Detachment.

There are just over 300 active duty fire fighters in the U.S. Army today. When not deployed the units support their civilian fire stations on military bases and train in preparation for combat deployments in support of fire and rescue missions.

"This is both challenging and rewarding," said Michalek. "Challenging by having five detachments from four different locations that have different tactics, techniques, and procedures and oversight of various units with limited fire fighter experience; rewarding given the fact that this number of fire fighters have been given a structured mission that has not been seen in years."

To train for war is to maintain tactical and technical proficiency... training is key in sustaining mission readiness. Whether it is combat supporting roles or combat service supporting roles, every day deployed Soldiers carry out their mission fighting the war in Afghanistan.

• Date Taken: 10.04.2009
• Date Posted: 10.11.2009 02:31
• Story ID: 39939
• Location: KANDAHAR, AF