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380AEW Article

Fire muster competition promotes teamwork, boosts morale

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Chance Babin
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing public affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  The thought of growing up to be a fireman is something many kids dream about. A group of Airmen here got the chance to perform the duties of a fireman while building teamwork and esprit de corps during a fire muster competition, July 10.

"A fire muster is a competition between teams that determines the most agile, the greatest tactical problem solvers and the quickest team," said Staff Sgt. Stephen Sanabria, the A-shift station chief at First Station 1 here. "It promotes teamwork above all else."

For the teams from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, the competition gave squadrons a chance not only to compete, but also to gain an appreciation for the tasks firemen perform.

"It gives folks an opportunity to see some things similar to what we do in our everyday job, but in a fun way," said Senior Master Sgt. Randy Gardner, the fire chief at the 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron. "Our job requires teamwork. In creating their teams, they get to perform the same way we do our job."

The competition consisted of seven events. Each four-person team performed a midnight alarm drill, a dummy drag and litter carry relay, a hose roll-up and sled pull, a bucket brigade, a hose connection and water stream relay, a water joust and a fire truck pull.
"The dummy carry was the most strenuous event," said Master Sgt. Shannon Payne, the 380th Expeditionary Logistical Readiness Squadron first sergeant. "It's all about communicating and strategy. The best part is hanging out with your team and the bragging rights. It was a blast."

The bragging rights were due to ELRS, as they won the team competition, beating a team of firemen along the way, albeit by one second..

"It feels good to work as a team and beat someone at their own job," said Airman 1st Class Dustin Parsons, from the 380th ELRS mobility unit. "We worked as a team and didn't lose our heads."

The competitors did leave the competition with an admiration for the work the firemen perform.

"I have a lot of appreciation for the training and work the firemen do and dealing with the emergencies they encounter every day," Parsons said

For Staff Sgt. Desiree Cross, the desk sergeant for the 380th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, fire musters are getting to be a routine.

"I've done three fire musters so far," Cross said. "I want to do one everywhere I go. This was my first in the AOR [area of responsibility]. I like the camaraderie and it's fun to compete with other squadrons. Plus my husband is a firefighter."

The individual men's winner was Staff Sgt. Justin Hrusovsky, a crew chief rescue fireman with the 380th ECES, at Station 1. The female individual winner was Airman 1st Class Jennifer King, from 380th ECES, emergency management.

Sanabria said the fire department team is setting up another fire muster in the fall that will start at a later time to enable greater participation.

"I think today was a great success," he said.