Altus Air Force Base News

 

97th AMW Commander gets hands-on during immersion demonstration

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kenneth W. Norman
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Col. Anthony B. Krawietz, 97th Air Mobility Wing commander received a hands-on immersion brief during his visit to the 97th Civil Engineer Squadron, Sept. 8.

During Krawietz's immersion, firefighters from the 97th CES demonstrated how they perform a "quick attack," which according to Master Sgt. Eric Lewis, 97th CES deputy fire chief, is a method of quickly attacking a fire when there are known life-hazards present. The firefighters also demonstrated how to systematically search a room for victims that may be trapped inside of a burning structure and the challenges firefighters face when wearing 60 pounds of gear and there is no visibility in the room due to smoke.

After the firefighters first demonstrated how to clear a smoke-filled room, Krawietz's immersion brief became more than the average show-and-tell demonstration. He was invited to put on standard Air Force Proximity Firefighting gear and help firefighters complete a simulated rescue mission in a room with zero visibility.

"I have a better understanding for the tasks our Civil Engineer Firefighters do," Krawietz said. "With the heat, lack of dexterity and limited peripheral vision, I'm amazed at the skill of our firefighters to move and search a room with precision. I really enjoyed learning what our Airmen in CE do. It was great to see them in action."

The firefighters from the 97th CES were glad they could show the wing commander exactly what they could go through during emergency situations.

"We are always pleased to have the opportunity to show anyone a glimpse into our world, especially our leadership," Lewis said. "The more they know about how we do business, and the challenges we face, the better decisions they can make for us. In this instance, Col. Krawietz has a first-hand understanding of exactly how hot it gets when wearing firefighter gear. Having the wing commander participate with the firefighters also gives us an opportunity to shine and demonstrate a high level of performance under pressure boosting leadership's confidence in our capabilities to respond in an emergency situation."