Iraqis Prepare to Fight the Flames

Multi-National Force - Iraq ^ | 1st Lt. Korry Leverett, USAF

[SandRat]

A U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron directs two Iraqi firefighters as they enter a burning shipping container during training on Ali Base, Aug. 3. Photo by Airman 1st Class Tony Ritter, 407th Air Expeditionary Group.

ALI BASE — Underneath the blistering desert heat in 40 mile-per-hour winds, firefighters from the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron and the city of Nasiriyah recently gathered here for their final training session with live fire.

The Airmen here have been mentoring Iraqi firefighters for six weeks with the ultimate goal of preparing the group with the skills necessary to provide adequate fire response capability in and around the city.

"Our ultimate goal is to enhance the firefighting skills of the Iraqi firefighters as they serve their community," said Col. Glen Apgar, 407th Air Expeditionary Group commander. "This training time demonstrates our commitment to that goal, and also builds on our already-solid relationship."

Each week firefighters from the 407th ECES provided classroom scenarios to the Iraqis designed to better prepare them for any sort of emergency response. This week, however, the test included two "live fire" scenarios so the trainees could learn real world techniques and gain valuable experience.

"We run the classes through different live fire scenarios in order to provide them with some additional procedures for the real world," said Tech. Sgt. Zachary Townsend, 407th ECES Fire Department training coordinator, deployed from Columbus AFB, Miss. "Today we've setup a vehicle fire and CONEX [container express] fire for them to practice on."

After ensuring all the proper safety measures were in place, a team of Airmen set the CONEX ablaze and prepared the Iraqi firefighting teams for their first experience with live fire in a training environment.

As black smoke billowed inside the CONEX a two-man team of Iraqi firefighters prepared to respond. After testing their hoses to ensure proper water flow, teams were given the go ahead and the Iraqi firefighters disappeared into the smoke.

Senior Airman Brandon Posch, 407th ECES firefighter, acted as a safety monitor and provided advice on firefighting techniques during each of the two scenarios.

"It's great to be able to give them an opportunity to train in a controlled environment," he said. "I feel privileged to be able to work with the community similar to home - I have the opportunity to teach volunteer firefighters back in the states and this is no different."

Covered in soot, the Iraqi firefighters reappeared from the CONEX having extinguished the flames and gained new levels of experience.

"This is what it's all about," Townsend said. "If we've given them just the slightest bit of training that will help make a difference in somebody's life then our job is complete."

(By 1st Lt. Korry Leverett, 407th Air Expeditionary Group)

[SandRat]

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