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Crash Fire Rescue;Marines conquer live training fires, prepare for real life emergencies

21 Feb 2003 | Cpl. James S. McGregor Marine Corps Air Station Miramar-EMS

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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR -- Forty-four Marines from Aircraft Rescue Firefighting (ARFF) conducted live training fires on the flight line Feb. 13-14 here.

Mobile Aircraft Fire Training System (MAFTS) is one training event required by Naval Air Systems Command.

"Currently our training burn pit is out of operation, so in order to get the required training we contacted the Federal Fire Department in San Diego and coordinated with them to use this trainer," Gunnery Sgt. John A. Lupton, crash chief, ARFF, said.

Lupton said they are looking to have this training here every quarter, as this new trainer simulates possible real life scenarios with actual aircraft crashes.  The trainer has multiple ignition areas, to include the cockpit, fuselage, engine and cargo areas. 

"With this capability we can concentrate on a single area or multiple areas for the Marines to go in and work on different fire fighting tactics depending on what type of area we are concentrating on," Lupton explained.  "Fires on different portions of an aircraft have certain precautions and tactics that we need to be aware of and practice on."

Lupton added that the trainer gave the Marines an opportunity to train and keep up their skills.

"It is a plus any time the Marines can train with devices that offer realism for actual emergencies," Lupton said.  "This is an (military occupational specialty) where we train constantly for a job we hope we never have to perform.  All our training and time spent covering the airfield is for one purpose and that is to save lives."

POLICY

The most important starting point for an EMS* is the development of an environmental policy. ISO14001 requires local governments to implement their own environmental policy. The environmental policy acts as a basis for the environmental management system.

PLANNING

ISO14001 requires that an environmental management system is planned properly. It requires the organization to consider the following carefully: Environmental Aspects; Legal and Other Aspects; Objectives and Targets; and an Environmental Management Program.

IMPLEMENTATION

The two requirements for implementation of an EMS is to define, document, and communicate roles, responsibilities and authorities, and to allocate the resources needed to implement and control the EMS.

CHECKING

The key requirement in this EMS step is to regularly monitor and measure key characteristics of activities and operations that could have a significant impact on the environment. Changes to EMS procedures may become necessary in order to deal with nonconformances with the EMS, with mitigating environmental impacts, or corrective and preventive action.

REVIEW

The management review process ensure that information is collected to enable management to carry out proper review. Top management review the need for changes to policy, objectives and targets, and ensure that a commitment to continual improvement is being demonstrated.

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar-EMS