We did start the fire

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Dana J. Butler
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  The 48th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department conducted live-fire training on a mock-up F-15 Aug. 19-23.

"Live-fire training on our aircraft trainer is required twice a year to keep up our firefighter certifications," said Tech. Sgt. Scott Stroble, 48th CES Fire Department NCO in charge of training.

Live-fire training ensures firefighters are able to perform required core tasks in the event of an aircraft fire to protect lives and government assets.

"Having the live-fire adds a bit of realism to what we do in the Air Force," said Stroble. "Whenever we get the chance to fight live fires it enhances our training and makes the experience of being a firefighter that much better."

According to Stroble, this training is important for firefighters of all ranks.

"It's very important for new Airmen to learn what fire can do and how it reacts," said Stroble.
 
"It's also important for the crew chiefs and the seasoned guys to make sure that we stay on top of our game all the time and keep our training at 100 percent."

The contained propane fire is managed by switches that allow full control over the flames, according to Stroble.

"This training is extremely realistic," said Stroble. "We use liquid propane to control the burns at different spots on the aircraft and if there is an incident or someone gets hurt we can push a button and the fire will be out in a matter of seconds. It's definitely as realistic as we can possibly get while being safe at the same time."