Day, night in the life of firefighter

  • Published
  • By Gina Randall
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  The 100th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighters put their lives on the line for others they may have never met but they're willing to risk everything for.

The firefighters train hard and are well equipped to deal with many emergency situations. They're trained to deal with medical emergencies, aircraft emergencies, hazardous materials incidents and structural emergencies.

One firefighter is Airman 1st Class Jacob Sandoval, 100th CES fire protection journeyman from Pleasanton, Texas.

He completed one year of service August 2014 but he is excited to be in the Air Force.

"I can't wait to continue more," he exclaimed.

It's not an easy career and involves a great deal of training -- from knowing the water pressure on each truck to the exact location of the equipment, each aircraft and where their emergency exits are located on them. Firefighters have to remember all this information and more during stressful situations.

Like the other military and civilian firefighters working in the station, Sandoval's day is very busy.

The day begins at 6.00 a.m., with a wake up call.

"Everybody gets up and cleans the station; we tidy it for the next crew coming on shift, at 7.30 a.m. We do our roll call out in the stalls. Everyone lines up and we complete shift change," he explained. "Then we inspect the trucks and all the equipment until 8.30 a.m. From 9 to 11:30 a.m. we focus on training. We want to be perfect at what we do."

The firefighters use a dormitory residence to practice search and rescue techniques so they can be prepared with the layout of base buildings in the event they must locate a person. In the afternoon, they have mandatory physical training time and work out for at least an hour. This is a vital task in their day.

"People depend on us, so we have to be physically fit and ready for any job that comes our way," the Texas native said.

After a hard day of training, firefighters have a small opportunity to rest and recharge so they are alert and ready for any potential situation that they must deal with.

"During the afternoon after we've eaten dinner, we spend a few hours working on our additional duty programs, studying career development courses and occasionally taking in a movie -- but always staying ready to respond. Basically our hours are 24-on-duty, 24-off-duty," the journeyman said. "When we get off work we spend the day catching up on errands and then get ready for the next day of work."

The fire department is a second home for the firefighters, and their work family is very important to them.

"I enjoy spending time with my brother firefighters, the good spirit and the good vibe. We're always joking with each other," Sandoval laughed. "It's more of a family than work. Basically you live here with these guys; you see them every other day."

It helps when the team gets along, but it can also mean life and death.

"You've got to depend on your brother that's going to go into that fire with you, supporting you," Sandoval reflected. "And when you do accomplish something, we are there to celebrate it with each other."

The teamwork and encouragement he has experienced has helped him develop into the person he is, serving his country each day. But he started with a positive attitude.

"I'm getting ready for more adventures the Air Force will offer me. I work hard but I couldn't do it without the support of the others here to help me out," he explained.

His leadership is proud of the young Airman.

"Sandoval is the most eager and motivated Airman I've met. He is always looking for ways to expand and further his knowledge on the fire ground and he truly strives to provide and promote professionalism through all platforms in his Air Force and firefighter career," said Staff Sgt. Kyle Dulin, 100th CES fire protection crew chief from Redondo Beach, California. "We're proud to have him as part of our family."