KINGSLEY FIELD, Ore. -- The Kingsley Field Fire Department conducted F-15 familiarization training with local Fire District One emergency personnel at Kingsley Field, Oregon, earlier this month.
Kingsley Field Fire Department and Klamath Falls Fire District One have a mutual aid agreement which bonds them together during emergencies on and off base. In order to fulfill this agreement, both agencies require familiarity amongst the two departments.
Matthew Gray, the Kingsley Assistant Chief of Training, took on the task of setting up training. “The biggest goal for this training is to create comradery and working together amongst the groups,” said Gray. “Familiarity with Kingsley Field operations and learning District One’s capabilities, as well as how to piece them together, will be what solidifies our units for future operations.”
Training was held at the Kingsley Field fire house and was accomplished twice a day over a three-day period with the use of a training jet and localized pilot equipment in a classroom environment. Kingsley Fire department personnel led the hands-on portion of training covering the aircraft procedures for pilot removal and recovery and the potential hazards, while Gray provided classroom instruction covering the various equipment used by the pilots.
Gray said, bringing the two departments together for training provided much needed rapport and bridged the existing knowledge gap not readily established during emergencies. “It is hard to get to know district personnel during calls as the patients takes priority, or the fire does.”
Kingsley Field Fire Department has participated in training with District One doing what is called “Burn and Learns” hosted off base in the past, but this is the first course in several years covering aircraft specific trainings.
The training course allowed Kingsley Field personnel to showcase their skills and establish the much-needed relationships between departments, while helping aid in communication and crosstalk. The three-day course provided training to 50 personnel, and the plan is to branch out to other departments across the local area.
“Training went fantastic,” said Gray. “In the future, I would love to be able to do additional training Klamath County wide, so if there is an incident out further, they would know what to look for as far as dangers go.”
This training ensures the safety of the Kingsley Field pilots as they continue their mission of air superiority, in the Land of No Slack.