Firefighters protect people, resources Published June 30, 2004 By Staff Sgt. Jeremy Larlee 447th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs BAGHDAD, Iraq (AFPN) -- Forty-five seconds is all it takes. In the right conditions, it would only take that amount of time for one of the many tents at Camp Sather here to burn to the ground.It is the job of the 33 firefighters assigned to the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron to prevent fires and quickly extinguish ones that start.“Air Force fire protection's mission as always is to support the flying mission and to protect life and property,” said Master Sgt. Gerald Johnson, the 447th Air Expeditionary Group fire chief who is deployed from Langley Air Force Base, Va. “As long as there are aircraft and the people to keep them flying, we will be here.”Airman 1st Class James Thompson said he was nervous and excited when he found he was deploying to Iraq. Airman Thompson, who is from Barksdale AFB, La., said the experience has been the pinnacle of his two-year career.“I really feel like I am doing something important here,” Airman Thompson said. “The situations here can be tough, but it is not as bad as I thought it would be.”The firefighters saw action recently when they were the initial responders to a large fire at a nearby Army post. More than 100 local firefighters responded to help battle the blaze.“That large fire that destroyed so much was without doubt caused and fueled by the dry vegetation found everywhere in this area,” Sergeant Johnson said. “On that day, we also had winds blowing at (more than 39 mph).” One prime challenge the firefighters face is the limited water supply. Unlike a stateside base, the living areas at Camp Sather have no hydrant system, Sergeant Johnson said. The water supply they use is also the water the rest of the camp uses for showers, toilets, and washing hands and clothes. Water conservation is important.The high temperatures in Iraq fuel fire conditions and pose a threat to firefighters’ health and safety.“The factors make for the worst conditions the firefighters have had to work in,” Sergeant Johnson said. “As we go through the normal day with high heat-stress levels, imagine donning a full set of firefighting gear and fighting fire for an hour or more.”The risk to health means performing as a team is mandatory.“It's absolutely vital to our accomplishing our mission,” Sergeant Johnson said. “Every person has a role to fill. The fire chief (coordinates) overall actions through the troop with the water nozzle in his or her hands. (Each is) a vital part of the team. Each role depends on the others to ensure the desired outcome.”Besides working together they have to coexist with other people at Camp Sather as well. “I think that the Air Force has cornered the market on pulling together when needs arise,” Sergeant Johnson said. “We all deployed with the understanding that none of us can accomplish the mission alone. It takes teamwork and support. I have found that here.”The extreme climate makes enforcing proper fire-safety rules vital. “Because of these conditions, we preach fire prevention and enforce many strict practices, like proper spacing between tents, no storage between tents, no smoking in or around tents, and having working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in each tent,” Sergeant Johnson said.