Firefighter training with ANP

KHOWST PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Volunteer and contract firefighters serving within the Khowst Provincial Reconstruction Team partnered with Afghan National Police Officers to practice fire fighting, rescue skills, and basic rescue truck maintenance at the Civil Military Operations Center in downtown Khowst.

The training occurs as often as twice a week to teach the critical skills needed to fight fires. Training is led by experienced firefighters.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Lawrence Taylor Jr., Khowst Provincial Reconstruction Team Military Police truck commander and a full time contracted New York firefighter, is an expert on fire and rescue operations. As a firefighter for more than 25 years, Sergeant Taylor responds to a variety of emergencies at home station. With each incident, he reinforces the importance of basic fundamentals. Sergeant Taylor said, by rehearsing the basics with proper execution of rescue and fire fighting techniques, the Afghans will be able to improve their overall firefighting abilities.

“We are teaching the Afghans basics skills needed to operate successfully as firefighters”, said Taylor. “The first thing we teach is how to operate an attack engine, which is the basic first responder firefighting truck used to hold the hoses, water, foam lines and rescue tools.”

Fundamental skills training with rescue saws, self-contained breathing apparatuses, basic hydraulic rescue tools, and medical first response bags is taught at the beginning of each training session.

Once the basics are reviewed, focus shifts to truck two, which is the tanker. Sergeant Taylor teaches how to lay hose lines, so when the tanker arrives, water can be shuttled from the tanker to the attack truck. Firefighters utilize both trucks to contain and ultimately extinguish a fire.

“We teach them to have an engineer as the pump operator, a captain, a minimum of two basic firefighters and a safety officer on scene at all times to observe safety practices and complete any fire or rescue, ” said Taylor.

Also during class, mechanics go over basic truck maintenance and weekly preventative maintenance procedures, such as checking the oil, tires and inventorying equipment, which is an integral part of success on scene.

“Teaching preventative maintenance procedures to Afghans ensures the trucks and rescue equipment will function properly each and every time it is needed,” said U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3^rd Class, Gary Levine, a construction mechanic with the Khowst PRT. “Belts, tires, hoses and engine seals must all be in good working order to ensure mission success for the Afghan firefighters.”

Training the ANP on firefighting and rescue techniques will provide emergency services, deployable at a moment’s notice to Afghans. This will also enhance the connection of the Afghan people to their central government and its services.