Health professionals take challenge

Published May 27, 2014
By Senior Master Sgt. Eric Peterson
380th Air Expeditionary Wing

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION -- Five 380th Expeditionary Medical Group Airmen accepted the fire department's offer to take part in the firefighter challenge confidence course conducted at the base fire station in an undisclosed location of Southwest Asia May 21, 2014.

The course was held to demonstrate to members of the preventative medicine flight the heat-related stresses that firefighters are regularly exposed to during their work.

The medical professionals gained valuable first-hand experience participating in the confidence course. Their new knowledge will help them study the occupational hazards of the firefighting career field.

The timed event offered nine stages and had Airmen climbing ladders, operating fire hoses, moving equipment, chopping wood and dragging a simulated body; all activities that firefighters may experience at a fire scene.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Brandon Carlson, fire station two fire captain, designed the course using available fire department resources.

"We try to stick to what they are going to use if there was a fire," said Carlson. "You're going to use ladders, you're going to pull hose and carry equipment to your scene or your staging area. So everything that they did today is what we will do if we have an exercise or a real fire."

The participants also dressed in full firefighting gear including helmet, oxygen mask and tank, boots, gloves and heat-resistant suit. Carlson said wearing the complete outfit can raise a person's body temperature as much as three degrees.

Air Force fire departments conduct firefighter challenge courses regularly to build confidence using firefighting equipment and procedures. Carlson said some departments even compete against each other to help build camaraderie among their personnel.

The members of the preventative medicine flight work to promote safety and enhance human performance so it was natural for them to accept the challenge to learn more about the working conditions of firefighters.

"It's so rare that we get to work with the first responders on a professional level where we learn more about what they do," said Air Force Capt. Maggie Coppini, aerospace and operational physiologist.

"When we respond to an emergency, we all work in our own little niche and we work as a team, but today we got to come out and put our shoes in the firefighter's boots and gain an understanding of what they do every day."

All of the medical professionals finished the physically-demanding course. Air Force Staff Sgt. Willie Hampton logged the fastest time among the group of five, completing all nine stages in just five minutes, 31 seconds.

Carlson designed the firefighter challenge course and conducted the training for the medical professionals.

His efforts satisfy one of the requirements that will help lead to his fire instructor two certification, an advanced career development course for the firefighting career field.