MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Station Aircraft Rescue and Fire Firefighting Marines trained with sailors from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 Detachment 6 to extinguish a MH-60 Sierra helicopter’s simulated dual engine fire on the airfield Dec. 20.
Chief Warrant Officer John T. Lackie, ARFF officer in charge and native of Philadelphia, explained these training events are important because of ARFF’s critical responsibility of the airfield.
“By doing this, it reinforces a lot of the book knowledge and training the Marines have,” said Lackie.
The training ignited when a mock call from the incident command system alerted ARFF, military police and the fire department that a helicopter was undergoing duel engine oxidation.
Upon arrival the Marines assessed the situation, finding two of four sailors had suffered injuries. As some Marines worked to extinguish the fire, others raced to evacuate the wounded.
“Their response time was great,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Eric M. Veditz, HSC-25 Detachment 6 aviation warfare systems operator and native of Baltimore, who suffered simulated injuries. “If it would have been an actual fire, they could have dragged me out of there in time.”
In a mishap situation, ARFF Marines have three minutes to arrive anywhere on the airfield from the moment they receive the call. They strive to cut time down to two minutes in order to save lives and contain fires and their damage.
The HSC-25 Detachment 6 sailors, stationed at Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, whose primary mission is to provide search and rescue, had the opportunity to see how Marines respond to similar scenarios.
“From another rescue standpoint, it was interesting to see how they worked,” said Lt. Matt A. Chustz, HSC-25 Detachment 6 assistant officer in charge and native of New Roads, La. “I think it was flawless. I feel if anything did happen, we would be in good hands.”