USS Fort McHenry Sailors learn to battle blazes
7th Fleet Release
Release Date: 1/14/2004
By Journalist 3rd Class Patrick Dille, Seventh Fleet public affairs
YOKOSUKA, Japan - The Amphibious Dock-Landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43), forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan, arrived here January 12 for a routine port visit that included attending courses taught by the Yokosuka-based Afloat Training Group, Western Pacific (ATGWP).
Select Fort McHenry Sailors began attending classes at ATGWP Monday in fields like force protection, general and advanced shipboard firefighting, and gas-free engineering, said Ens. Suzanne Sampson, Fort McHenry training officer.
"We come here to the ATG school because we can attend multiple schools at one time," said Sampson. "We can dedicate a large portion of Sailors to the training in the time we're here. Plus, a lot of this training isn't available in Sasebo."
The firefighting training is one of the most popular courses for Fort McHenry Sailors, especially for members of the ship's Emergency Response Team, which responds to fires on the ship's flight deck.
"The training enhances our readiness. It gives everyone experience in firefighting," said Sampson. "Firefighting is a ship-wide effort. And by having our whole flight deck firefighting team attend, they all get certified at once."
While some Sailors are taking the opportunity to enhance their firefighting skills, others are learning the basics.
"The purpose of this training evolution is to give the crew a general idea of how to combat different types of fires," said Seaman Jon Turner, 26, who works in Fort McHenry's deck department. "It teaches us the basics of how to save the ship if anything happens."
Turner, a Miami, Fla., native, is a member of the ship's Emergency Response Team and will be attending ATGWP firefighting training for the second time, this time as a refresher.
He explained the training provides varied instruction on myriad damage control (DC) equipment.
"Basic general firefighting covers the basic ways to fight fire and different firefighting equipment on board; equipment like "P-100" pumps and DC clamps for repairing ruptured (pipes)," said Turner.
Turner said the morning portion of the class deals with classroom instruction and theory. In the afternoon, training involves hands on experience with firefighting equipment.
"We 'dress out' in personal protective equipment," said Turner. "Then they teach us how to handle fire hoses, how to charge fire plugs and how to get the water flowing through the hoses and out the variable nozzles. It's worth coming to Yokosuka for the training because it's hands-on and it gives the new guys that have checked aboard recently a chance to get some experience."
Firefighting is a basic skill needed by all hands aboard Fort McHenry. And while a vast majority of the ship's company have jobs that are associated with firefighting, a mandatory refresher course is required every six years for all shipboard Sailors, said Sampson.
Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class James Horton, 23, also a member of Fort McHenry's deck department, attended training last year. He said he will be going back to learn more about fighting fires on the ship's flight deck as part of the Emergency Response Team.
"If a helo crashes, it's up to us to save the pilot's life and put out the fire," said Horton. "Going to the school keeps us on the edge. Even though I went last year, you never know, you might learn something new this time around."
Horton, an Orlando, Fla. native, said he plans to add to his knowledge of firefighting, compounding what he has already digested over the past year.
"We learned a lot from the general shipboard firefighting training. All that stuff has stuck in my head because I use it all the time," he said. "I think it benefits everybody, though. We just got a lot of new people that need to know this stuff and older people who need a refresher."
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