Luke training equips community firefighters

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Robert Biermann
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  From now until mid-March more than 1,900 firefighters from 14 neighboring, West Valley cities will visit Luke Air Force Base to gain important knowledge about F-16 Fighting Falcon emergencies.

The training, which began January 13, includes an hour of classroom and hands-on instruction, and takes place at Fire Station No. 1. It's scheduled to run twice daily, three times per week for the next two-and-a-half months.

"Our community partners are an integral piece of the puzzle," said Steve Kinkade, Fire Emergency Services assistant fire chief for training. "We're not trying to teach them everything there is to know about the jet, because we're the F-16 subject matter experts. We are sharing important emergency procedures and hazard information they need to know in the event an F-16 should happen to go down in their response area."

And this is no impossibility.

In the past there have been aircraft and munitions incidents or accidents which took place in or near the surrounding communities, according to official records.

"Next to saving lives and property, training is No. 2," Chief Kinkade said. "Training is such a critical component of what we do. We have to use our second nature and critical thinking skills to react in different emergencies and we do this through training."

Luke fire department's training is a single piece in the West Side Training Consortium. Each quarter a different subject or curriculum is developed by a committee of training chiefs. This training often takes place at the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center.

"We try to get max coverage and participation of firefighters through regional training," Chief Kinkade said. "The purpose is to train using the same operating procedures our brother and sister stations use. We need to be on the same sheet of music during emergencies, and the sharing of training does just that. Our partners are no stranger to Luke's mission and we're no stranger to theirs."

Throughout 2009, Luke firefighters responded to more than 100 off-base incidents, involving structure fires, auto accidents, hazardous materials incidents and medical emergencies, to name a few.

"We have such a great relationship with our community partners," Chief Kinkade said. "In my 33 years in fire service, this is the best place I've ever worked. This is the best system I've ever been in.

"Ironically, it makes emergencies pretty seamless," Chief Kinkade concluded.