Reservists step up to help McConnell firefighters

  • Published
  • By Airman Erin McClellan
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  When the 22nd Civil Engineer Squadron fire department found out it was losing 12 Airmen to deployments, they realized they were going to need some help with day-to-day operations on the base.

Six reservists, who traveled from bases across the country, answered the call to ensure the mission continued.

“Our manning affects our ability to perform our job,” said Senior Master Sgt. Brent Hardsaw, 22nd CES deputy fire chief. “To get six [reservists] was extremely helpful. As far as filling those manpower requirements, they helped us tremendously.”

Without enough people on shift, there would not be an adequate amount of firefighters to respond to an aircraft emergency and the mission could be majorly impacted or even halted.

“It could ultimately shut down the airfield,” said Master Sgt. Gerald Wile, assistant chief of health and safety assigned to the 944th CES, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. “If there’s not enough people, then aircraft can’t fly because there’s no fire protection. That’s what we’re here for: ‘What if something goes wrong?’ It’s a very important part of the entire Air Force mission.”

In addition to helping on the job, the reservists helped prevent McConnell’s Airmen from being overworked.

“A lot of times when you lose a large number of people, the ones at home have to pick up the slack,” said Hardsaw. “With these guys here, we didn’t have to stop things like leave and days off; we can continue to keep up the morale here.”

Near the end of the backfill, the fire department showed their appreciation for the reservists’ hard work by holding a going away lunch and presenting them with plaques. In return, the department was presented with a gift from the reservists; a customized wooden call box, which symbolizes how the reserves are always ready to help active duty Airmen.

“It’s humbling to be recognized by the active duty for what we’ve done, and it makes me feel good,” said Wile. “We didn’t just show up to make money or to go on vacation. We did things for the unit above and beyond what was expected of us.”

By blending together Airmen from different parts of the country, who all have different backgrounds and experiences, it allowed everyone involved to grow as individuals and as firefighters.

“Coming out here gave me an opportunity to see different aircraft and learn new techniques,” said Staff Sgt. Cheyne Baumgart, a driver engineer assigned to the 349th CES, Travis AFB, California. “Everybody does things a little bit differently, and I got to work with people who have been doing it forever. When I go home, I get to bring that back to my troops and my civilian department.”

Spending time working together enabled the Airmen to build relationships with each other, which may make it hard to say goodbye now that the reservists are heading home.

“From the minute I got off the plane, everybody has gone out of their way to help us out,” said Baumgart. “There’s a real camaraderie here, and it was a pleasure to be part of this fire department. I made great friends that I’m going to miss. I had a great time; it’s going to be sad leaving here.”