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380AEW Article

380th AEW firefighters muster up some competition

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Firefighters deployed to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing hosted a competition March 17 to see who has what it takes to be one of them.

Seven teams faced the challenge and at the end of the day, the team from the 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron programs flight was declared the winner.

During the fire muster, each four-person team had to accomplish five challenges based on skills firefighters hone every day.

The events included:

- Hose drag
- Connecting a hose to truck and using the water stream to hit a target
- Bucket brigade
- Dummy drag and litter carry
- Answering a simulated midnight fire alarm

Capt. Shane Lynch led his team to victory, saying they wanted to participate because "the tighter we are, the better we work together."

"This definitely built a lot of camaraderie for us," said the captain, a Napa, Calif., native deployed from Travis Air Force Base, Calif. "It was good to get out from behind the desk with my guys and get out here for a little while. We work together every day, so it was nice to have fun together too."

After the event, everyone gathered for a barbecue and to compare notes about the experience.

Firefighters deployed here have been hosting fire musters for years. For them, it's an opportunity to educate other people about the hard work and dedication it takes to be a firefighter. For the participants, it's a chance to come together as a team to face various challenges.

For Airman 1st Class Stephanie Eck, part of the second place-winning security forces team, the fire muster was fun as well as enlightening.

"I always knew their job was tough, but I had no idea it was this hard, and this was just a small part of it," said the Jacksonville, Fla., native deployed from Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colo. "I have a lot more respect for what they do. But it was great to put this on. I think we all learned a lot today from the experience."

Which is exactly what Tech. Sgt. Brian Donnelly, the event coordinator and one of the fire station chiefs, hoped for.

"Hosting a fire muster is a longtime tradition for people deployed here," said Donnelly, a Reseda, Calif., native deployed from Ramstein Air Base, Germany. "It gave everyone a chance to show off their skills, build camaraderie and boost morale. Everyone had a good time, and that's what's most important."