435 CTS, Lithuanian firefighters turn up the heat in NATO course

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Nicole Sikorski
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  The Lithuanian Air Force fire department participated in a NATO Firefighter Fundamentals course here May 18-22.

Being the only air force fire response team in Lithuania, they must prepare for all possible aircraft emergencies.

The five-day course prepares students on how to respond to NATO aircraft mishaps that involve both cargo and fighter aircraft. 

"It is important because it improves the NATO mission by being prepared for an emergency on an aircraft," said Tech. Sgt. Justin Hrusovsky, 435th Construction and Training Squadron NCO in charge on fire, rescue and contingency.  "By conducting this training, NATO aircraft can safely land (at their base) if they have an emergency and get the proper fire crews on scene to possibly save lives."

Instructors from the 435th CTS led the team of more than 20 firefighters through scenarios that included confined-space rescue, structural collapse, aircraft and structural firefighting, crash recovery and incident command system training.

Staff Sgt. Valdas Parnarauskas, Lithuanian fire and rescue section commander, explained that this course is crucial so that the brigade can experience more life-like scenarios.

"This is important because of the (experience we get with) live fire," he said. "We would like to make this an annual training course with the lack of capabilities to train on (life-like scenarios) in the Baltic State."

Although half of the course involves lectures to prepare the firemen for the exercises, the classroom material can only prepare you for so much, said Tech. Sgt. Giedrius Jonaitis, Lithuanian Air Force firefighter. 

"Responding to real fire is much different than sitting in a lecture," said Jonaitis. "By coming to Ramstein we get the opportunity to practice on simulators we don't have on our base."

Firefighters from all countries within NATO can attend the course.