Royal Air Force Firefighters based at a Coalition Airbase in the Middle East have successfully dealt with a blaze that broke out in one of the buildings at the base.
The fire caused by a faulty air-conditioning unit was quickly brought under control by the RAF Firefighter team of four and their prompt actions meant the situation, which had the potential to escalate quickly remained a minor incident. As a result there were no casualties and no impact on Coalition Operations.
The RAF Firefighters are deployed on a four month rotation and provide fire fighting cover at the coalition base. One of the Firefighters has only recently graduated from the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre and this was their first operational deployment.
“I was excited to use the knowledge I had learnt throughout my training, I carried out search procedures to identify the fire room and carried out offensive firefighting tactics to extinguish the fire. The result was the fire was contained to a single room, preventing further damage to the building.”
When the RAF Firefighters first arrived on the scene they were met with high levels of smoke throughout the building and had to don their breathing apparatus before carrying out a search of the building to find the fire and ensure nobody was trapped.
The team provide fire cover for a range of different military aircraft and buildings at the coalition airbase. They have been regularly involved in practice exercises with the host nation to test their joint procedures.
Another of the RAF Firefighters said: “It was brilliant to be able to react and produce a successful response from an emergency service within a coalition environment. This highlights the effectiveness and adaptability of the RAF Fire and Rescue Service.”