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U.S. firemen donate equipment to Afghan firefighters

  • Published
  • By by Capt. Jamie Humphries
  • 438th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
KABUL, Afghanistan --  A U.S. Air Force firefighter and a crew chief instructor teamed up with stateside firefighters 7,000 miles away to donate much-needed equipment to Afghan air force firefighters today, bringing them one step closer to independent operations.

Airmen from the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing and firefighters in Parkton, N.C. teamed up to deliver 80 Nomex Hoods needed to further protect the AAF firemen when called on to respond to base emergencies. Nomex hoods are also used by race car drivers but most commonly by firefighters. First responders place the hoods on the head above the firefighter's mask in order to protect exposed portions of the head not covered by the firefighter's helmet or mask. The donated hoods will be used by AAF firefighters assigned to the Afghan air force compound in Kabul.

Master Sgt. Edward Nowak, 440th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, C-27 production superintendent advisor and at home station a Parkton Volunteer Fire Department assistant fire chief, hatched the idea while discussing the need for equipment with local Air Force firefighter and advisor Master Sgt. Dion Bullock. After Sergeant Bullock explained the need for 40 hoods, Sergeant Nowak contacted his home station association for assistance. The firefighters at Parkton jumped into action to assist their deployed co-worker.

"Firefighting is a brotherhood and sisterhood," explained Sergeant Nowak. "I wanted to see if there was anything my fellow firefighters from back home could do to help. I checked with the Robeson County Firefighters Association and county board of supervisors and by the time it was set and done, we had 80 (hoods)."

Of course the volunteer project could not have been completed without the support of the firefighters at Station 18, located 20 miles from Fayetteville. The Parkton volunteer fire department boasts just 30 volunteers but prides themselves in specialized response in water rescue, search and rescue, extrication and of course firefighting.

James Martin, firefighter and board member of the Firefighters association, spearheaded the volunteer effort to help the Afghans. The equipment was packaged up and sent off by the firefighters to Kabul May 23 and arrived just 10 days later.

"The significance of donating the equipment is in hoping our contribution has made a difference. We feel it is an honor to help provide needed items to fellow firefighters but the true honor is knowing we are supporting our country's efforts in a another country," said Mr. Martin. "As Americans, we are blessed with freedom and the ability to serve God. This makes it our duty to help our fellow man whenever possible.

Now that the AAF firemen have the much-needed equipment, they know their neck, ears and face are protected against temperatures that in a structure can reach thousands of degrees.

"After so many years of war, we in Afghanistan didn't have good equipment. We needed the government to help us but we only have one station in all of Kabul," said  Sadar Ahmad, an firefighter instructor. "We didn't have any equipment to use much less teach firefighters how to train. We have on name - our name is the same - "firefighter."

The only thing I hoped to accomplish was to show the Afghan firefighters that we are a family and we do what we can to help each other out explained Nowak.