100th CES firefighters brave heights for training

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kyla Gifford
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Firefighters from the 100th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department performed routine rappelling training July 17, 2014, off the air traffic control tower on RAF Mildenhall, England.

The ATC tower is approximately 120-feet tall -- almost three stories higher than the building on which the firefighters normally train.

They train about once a month on specialist rescue situations, including high-angle rescue and confined-space rescue.

"The training we took part in allows firefighters to become proficient in the equipment and have confidence in themselves, the equipment and their teammates," said Andrew Hughes, 100th CES Fire Department crew manager from Wisbech, Cambridge.

In order to perform this training in a safe manner firefighters maintain their equipment to a high standard.

"The equipment is checked before and after rappelling, and on a monthly basis. Our procedures follow both U.S. and U.K. law as far as the safety side is concerned," said Hughes.

Firefighters must train regularly to be able to safely extract victims from any situation. One such scenario is called a pick off, which simulates the rescue of a person injured on a tower who needs to be brought down to safety.

"You never know what situation you may come across as a firefighter," said Airman 1st Class Jacob Sandoval, 100th CES fire protection journeyman from San Antonio, Texas.

"We may need to rescue someone who has fallen down a man hole and has a broken a leg," said Sandoval. "The only possible way to get to them might be to rappel, and you never know how deep the hole may be. We have to be prepared for anything that may happen."