January PENORE

Members of the 8th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department help each other put fire retardant suits over their Mission Oriented Protective Posture gear during the Peninsula Wide Operation Readiness Exercise at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan. 13, 2009. Even in MOPP gear, Kunsan's Fire Fighters have seven minutes from the time they are dispatched to respond to an incident. (U.S. Air Force Photo by SSgt Jason Colbert)

January PENORE

Senior Airman Alex Vasquez, 8th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department, unrolls a fire hose at a simulated fire during the Peninsula Wide Operation Readiness Exercise at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan. 13, 2009. Kunsan's Fire Fighters have seven minutes from the time they are dispatched to respond to an incident. (U.S. Air Force Photo by SSgt Jason Colbert)

January PENORE

Firefighters fight fire and ice

Published Jan. 14, 2009
By Senior Airman Dana Hill
8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- Operating with 10-inches of snow on the ground and increasingly treacherous road conditions, is difficult at the best of times.

Try doing it with a seven minute deadline.

Firefighters from the 8th Civil Engineer Squadron perform their duties every day despite the weather or the alarm condition. They do what they have to do to ensure the safety of all Wolf Pack members is not jeopardized and help keep the mission going. This is especially true during the Peninsula-Wide Operational Readiness Exercise Beverley Bulldog 09-01.

"My duty as a Firefighter is to protect the base," said Senior Airman Alex Vasquez, 8th CES firefighter. "We are the first line of defense when protecting the base against further structural damage caused by fires."

The weather can play a factor in the seven-minute required response time mandated for the Wolf Pack department, but to its members it's just another test of their abilities to perform life-saving procedures under pressure.

"Weather effects may slow down response time, we must take that into account," said Master Sgt. Bradley Lawrence, assistant chief of operations. "It makes things more difficult. Everyone has to make sure they keep their footing and make sure they remain safe."

As the on-scene commander for major responses it is Sergeant Lawrence's primary duty to take charge, make sure everyone is accounted for and to ensure the safety of all the firefighters.

Throughout Exercise Beverly-Bulldog 09-01, firefighters respond to numerous incidents such as structural fires, aircraft fires, aircrew extractions and suspicious packages scenarios in preparation for the wing's operational readiness inspection in April 2009.

"It makes me feel proud," said Sergeant Lawrence, "we contribute a lot to the mission and to the overall community.

"We play an important part to the lives, safety and overall well being of the members of the Wolf Pack."