Firefighters squelch aircraft fire

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Josie Kemp
  • 52nd Communications Squadron
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, GERMANY -- --  Seventy-six 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron firefighters visited the 38th Construction Training Squadron at Ramstein Air Base March 1 for live-fire training on the Mobile Aircraft Fire Trainer. 

Although aircraft fire is not something firefighters deal with on a regular basis, the MAFT annual training is a requirement for the team. 

"We all have different levels of experience and we're able to forge these experiences into actions through planning, training and synergy that ultimately result in a successful outcome to any emergency that we encounter be it crash, structural, (hazardous material) or medical," said Master Sgt. Sergio Gil, 52nd CES assistant chief of training.
Under the guise of a real-world aircraft fire, the MAFT provides propane-fueled, live-fire training and allows the firefighters the opportunity to challenge themselves through realistic scenarios, Sergeant Gil said. 

The flames flow from the wings of the aircraft and across the exterior of the plane. The aircraft's design allows firefighters the opportunity to train on more hazardous areas such as the wheel wells, brakes, fuel fires and engines. 

Airman 1st Class Crystal Molinary, 52nd CES firefighter, learned a variety of methods to extinguish aircraft fires, since they are very different from structural fires. 

"My crew chief and I fought an engine fire and ground fire on one side, and then switched hand lines to the other side of the aircraft," she said. "We then fought a tire fire before entering the aircraft and a fire on the flight deck before moving to the fire in the cargo area of the aircraft. I definitely learned how weather and wind impact the way fires burn." 

The MAFT allows the trainers to create engine, ground pool, three-dimensional, landing gear and interior fire scenarios. 

"There's a lot of effort and coordination required to advance attack lines and manipulate, such as adjust fog nozzles for optimum fire stream patterns, and deliver fire streams to ensure an effective fire attack is conducted," Sergeant Gil said. "You have to overcome extreme heat, smoke and the amount of pressure encountered when forcing water through a fire hose." 

(Editor's note: Senior Airman Eydie Sakura, 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs, contributed to this article.)