Federal Firefighters at NAS Fallon

by Susan Weikel-- Federal Firefighters are civilian employees working for the government to provide emergency services to the installation at NAS Fallon for the military members, civilians, and independent contractors who work on the base. The crews provide a variety of services on the base and on the ranges, providing structural response, airfield response, as well as mutual aid response for Churchill County. That mutual aid might be assisting on a fire, responding to a motor vehicle accident, and/or preforming an extraction in the local community. Captain Bret Davis said being part of a department that serves two different entities has been an honor. “I am actually prior military. I served in the air force as a firefighter fire, so it was a natural fit for me. I love serving the military community. I think it’s very honorable for what they do. I love being a part of that, being able to support them as they carry out their important missions.” A day at Fed Fire looks different from that of the normal firefighters’ day when Federal Firefighters are faced with fighting aircraft fires (usually at least one a year), a skill that requires advanced training with special certification, skilled teamwork, and constant training to keep their skills sharp. An aircraft fire requires safety concerns for the pilots and preserving the scene of a very expensive piece of equipment. When the teams assist with various local emergencies, they are training and honing their skills. It’s a double win for the community and for the firefighters. Davis explains what it means to him to be a part of this, “It’s huge because our sailors and our duty civilians live in the community of Churchill County. Churchill County itself is an amazing community that anytime we are fortunate enough to support them, we have a great relationship with the volunteer fire department and we regularly train with them. We love to support them any chance we get. We have our mutual aid agreement, so we respond frequently with them. I think this year about 25% of our calls are for mutual aid with Churchill County.” Various agencies recently worked together on an accident that occurred on the Reno highway involving a tractor trailer hitting a 4-inch gas main. It was a recipe for a lot going on at the same time. Powerlines were down, there was an active gas line with fire, victims were trapped, and there were exposures on the south side of the fire. A large-scale incident for sure that Captain Davis remembers well, “That was a memorable moment that added to our training experiences. We were requested by Churchill County to respond; I responded in our Engine 51.” Employment with Federal Firefighters is more old-school based.  The application and the experience shown in a resume demonstrate more of the skills they are looking for than test scores. Certifications and experience allow them to employ people that can become part of the team more quickly. Hiring locally is preferred. A cadet that could be taken into train is something that they like to see happen. The unit operates the normal firefighting apparatuses (trucks that hold 500 gal. of water, some hold 750 gal.). There is also a Hazmat/Rescue truck and the big crash truck (holding 3,000 gal.) that are customized specifically for aircraft but were utilized during the Amtrak wreck in 2011. The crew had originally been in route to a structural fire in town that day and were called by the county to divert and assist at the train wreck. With conditions as they were that day, the crash truck was the only rig that could reach certain areas of the wreck. Again, the assistance given that day was a win-win for everyone. The local community can rest a bit easier knowing that we have such skilled support available when extreme emergencies arise.       Support local, independent news – contribute to The Fallon Post, your non-profit (501c3) online news source for all things Fallon. Never miss the local news -- read more on The Fallon Post home page.