An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Aug. 23, 2010

Guardsmen volunteer to fight fires, save lives on Camp Phoenix

By Sgt. Rebecca Linder, 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan, - Service members, civilians and coalition forces have given up personal time to volunteer their fire-fighting skills to the Camp Phoenix Fire Department.

About 30 personnel stationed here meet twice a week to train in case they need to respond to an emergency fire.

“We want to provide protection to the camp to ensure the safety of the personnel stationed here,” said fire station engineer, Maj. Edward Michels of the South Carolina Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery. “If an attack were to happen, we would have to do what we can to extinguish that fire so it wouldn’t cause loss of life.”

The fire station, which has provided support to electrical and range fires is more than five years old and mirrors the set up of a civilian-operated station, said Michels.

Heading the fire station, Sgt. Thomas Singletary, fire chief, 1-178th and Sgt. Michael Hardy, assistant fire chief of Massachusetts Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery, both with prior experience as full-time firefighters in their home states, provide a training program to those who want to be part of the team.

“We provide the volunteer firefighters with training to keep them safe on a fire scene,” said Hardy. “We also show them how to work as a team to effectively put out a fire or rescue injured personnel.”

The training involves practicing search and rescue techniques, interactive hands-on classes where the volunteers learn how to properly hold a water hose, and educational videos.

“We have trained with the French army at Camp Warehouse at a training burn area where we put out fires using the training we have learned,” said Michels. “We also have a tower we use to simulate going into a building. This training helps us get better and faster at our jobs.”

To better assist with the training, the fire department recently obtained new equipment. The volunteers will wear new backpacks that contain a mix of water and foam to help conveniently suppress fire. The other new pieces of equipment are the RKO enterprise fire and rescue units that also hold foam and water, which is installed in the back of utility vehicles.

“The equipment we use will help to effectively put out a fire,” said Pfc. Amy Major, volunteer firefighter from the South Dakota Army National Guard's 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. “It is also convenient for Camp Phoenix, because John Deere Gators are used to travel throughout the camp so the RKO units come in handy."

With the new equipment and the training the volunteers receive, personnel on the Camp Phoenix Fire Department are ready to fight any fire that might come their way.

“I have always had an interest in becoming a firefighter, but I never had the opportunity to do it back home,” said Major. “Now that I am here, I have received great training and now help serve the Camp Phoenix community.”

 

 

Related Articles
Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux, adjutant general of Louisiana, discusses briefing details with Col. Augusto Villalaz, director of the Joint Staff for the Louisiana National Guard, during the annual Hurricane Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) Drill at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, May 21, 2025. The drill helps synchronize plans and strengthen coordination across LANG’s senior leadership ahead of hurricane season.
Louisiana Guard Rehearses Emergency Plans for Hurricane Season
By Capt. Peter Drasutis, | May 28, 2025
NEW ORLEANS – The Louisiana National Guard conducted its annual Hurricane Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) Drill at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Baton Rouge May 21, uniting key personnel across multiple commands to refine...

U.S. Soldiers assigned to 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment, New Hampshire Army National Guard, sling load a reduced range practice rocket to a Moroccan CH-47 Chinook during a multinational sling load operation at African Lion 2025 (AL25), May 17, 2025, in TanTan, Morocco. AL25, the largest annual military exercise in Africa, brings together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF,) on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations - preparing forces to deploy, fight, and win.
New Hampshire Guard Teams with Morocco for Sling Load Training at African Lion 2025
By Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Forester, | May 28, 2025
TAN TAN, Morocco – Soldiers assigned to the 744th Forward Support Company (744TH FSC), 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment, New Hampshire Army National Guard partnered with the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR), for...

From left, Sgt. Edward Acda, Lt. Col. Vern Perez, Sgt. 1st Class Celine Taitano, Capt. Ryan Arellano, Staff Sgt. Jovencio Mortera, and Sgt. Avery Tyquiengco of the Guam National Guard participate in Balikatan Cyber Defense Exercise, Manila, April 27, 2025. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the U.S. and Philippine armed forces designed to strengthen the alliance, showcase the capable combined force, and demonstrate the commitment to regional security and stability. (Courtesy asset)
Guam Guard Participates in Balikatan 2025 Cyber Defense Exercise
By Mark Scott, | May 28, 2025
MANILA, Philippines – A team of cyber professionals and an intelligence analyst from the Guam National Guard attended Balikatan 2025, participating in the three-week Cyber Defense Exercise alongside teams from various...