Photo By Chad Menegay | An Iraqi Army Soldier with the Camp Taji Location Command Fire Department prepares to...... read more read more
BAGHDAD - Camp Taji’s Iraqi Army Location Command Fire Department conducted training on new Oshkosh Ti-1500 fire trucks with instruction from the Camp Taji Coalition Fire Department at Camp Taji Dec. 15.
Camp Taji Echelon Above Division-Advisory Team, Iraq Training and Advisory Mission-Army, advisors U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Beau Piper and U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. James Dunn identified the need and coordinated the training.
In November the Iraqi Army fire department received the U.S. government-purchased fire trucks, but none of the Iraqi Army fire department soldiers had any formal training or knowledge of the trucks.
“Now that they have trucks to be able to fight a fire, we’ve just got to teach them how to do it, so that they can save buildings and lives,” said Dunn, a native of Middletown, Ohio.
The coalition fire department gave instruction on the ins and outs of the Oshkosh Ti-1500, to include how to fill the truck, familiarization with the pump systems, the gauges and the controls.
“After today, they’ll have a better understanding of how to use the truck,” Dunn said.
Although the IA fire department has responded to and put out building and trash fires, the soldiers who make up the department are not firefighters. They are recruited from various Iraqi Army units to fulfill a need as identified by location command.
Iraqi Army Sgt. Ammar Abass Abdul Hassan, previously with 34th Armoured Brigade, 9th Armoured division, said he was transferred to the Camp Taji Location Command Fire Department after a partial recovery from being shot in both his side and leg during a terrorist attack in Al-Tarmiy. Ammar also said his brother was killed in the attack.
“The Americans helped me when I was injured,” Ammar said.
“They carried me from where I was injured to the hospital, and now they are coming to give us training. I’m appreciative of them.”
The coalition fire department did not have to do this, Dunn said, “but we understand the risk involved if we don’t.”
“This is probably one of the most critical trainings we’ve done so far,” Dunn said. “This is going to save lives.”
| Date Taken: | 12.15.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 01.11.2011 05:40 |
| Story ID: | 63346 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 50 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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