Clearing the Smoke

  • Published
  • By Tech Sgt Chance Babin
  • Special to the Gulf Wing
Keesler AFB, Miss. --  On a perfectly beautiful warm fall afternoon, a group of firefighters, suited up with layers of extremely hot protective clothing, forcefully burst into a hot, unventilated smoke consumed building, on a mission to clear the smoke. 

This may sound uncomfortable, daring and even a bit crazy, but it’s just a typical day of training for the firefighters of the 403rd Civil Engineer Squadron. 

In this case the smoke was only from a smoke machine and the heat was from the sun, not a blazing fire, but as firefighters, they must train as if the building is engulfed in fire and consumed by toxic smoke. 

For the firefighters of the 403rd CES, getting a typical day of training has been anything but typical lately, as nothing at Keesler, or on the Gulf Coast, has resembled what was once known before Katrina. Now the fire department, like the rest of the unit, is starting to get back to normal. 

“That was the first training we’ve done since Katrina,” said Tech. Sgt. Myron Stanley, a crew chief with the 403rd CES. “We were up to about 85 percent in our training and by December should be back at 100 percent.” 

On this day, three-level firefighters were getting trained on ventilating a simulated burning building. 

“It’s part of their training to bring them along and get them signed off to becoming five levels,” he said. “We were using different types of forced ventilation, positive pressure and hydraulic ventilation.” 

For positive pressure ventilation, windows on upper and lower floors are opened and even fans can be used to push the smoke and heat out of a building. In hydraulic ventilation, which was the main point of emphasis during the training, the firefighters point a nozzle out of a window and spray outward. As water rushes through, it draws the heat and smoke through the opening. 

As things get back to normal with the 403rd CES, the firefighters will continue hands on training, with a goal to be anything but typical.