Senior leaders, fire department beat the heat Published Sept. 24, 2007 By Senior Airman Julius Delos Reyes 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Several senior leaders performed structural live fire training with the Edwards fire department recently. The training is an Air Force and the National Fire Protection Association requirement for fire department personnel to maintain Firefighter 1 and 2 certifications. "The training really demonstrated the difference between seeing something done and doing it yourself," said Lt. Col. David Cohen, 95th Aerospace Medicine Squadron commander. He said professional firefighters make it look easy performing their job with the weight and inflexibility of the suit and the intensity of the fire. The darkness and confusion made it extremely difficult to do even the simplest things, let alone extinguish a raging fire. "What we do is train in spaces we are most likely to encounter on the installation," said Monte Congleton, assistant fire chief. "Since the base has two-story and basement type facilities, we use this training as a chance to combat fires in those areas." The fire department conducts this type of training twice a year in the spring and close to the fall. "The firefighters' safety is paramount," Mr. Congleton said. "This ensures they don't get complacent or forget their jobs." The training consists of making entry and fighting fire in the interior structural fire trainer here. "The conditions are strictly controlled and safety is the primary concern for everyone entering the trainer," said Michael Hurles, fire department deputy chief. The control room is where the operator controls everything. Here, they control the smoke, sound, low or high fire rollover or flashover. The whole system is controlled by a computer and the operator. "We have safety systems incorporated into it," Mr. Congleton said. This is a very realistic scenario for fighting fire in a house, Mr. Hurles said. "The individuals experienced the heat and physical demands required for firefighting," he said. Edwards firefighters ran through a simulated basement fire where they routed hose from the top down into the structure then vice versa. The last scenario involves fighting a kitchen fire, which involves various situations. "They familiarized themselves with the firefighting gear that is there to protect them and become very comfortable with its capabilities," Mr. Congleton said. The participants also conducted a search of the "house" as they moved from one section of the trainer to another, Mr. Hurles said. Mr. Congleton said this kind of training is very important for the firefighters because "one wrong move in a fire can cost them their lives, their crew or the public." Colonel Cohen said the training was a unique experience. "I gained a genuine respect for what firefighters can accomplish under such extreme conditions," he said.