Kirtland AFB races to Canyon fire

  • Published
  • By Lia Martin
  • Nucleus Staff
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico --  Kirtland AFB Fire Battalion Chief Lee Shaffer was on duty on Nov. 27 when a 12:30 a.m. fire call came in requesting Kirtland's help.

Kirtland Fire Department has mutual aid agreements to assist other local fire departments, and can receive assistance from the other departments if the base needs it.
The Bernalillo County Fire Department asked Chief Shaffer for help - a house off Route 66 in Tijeras Canyon was on fire. Chief Shaffer said that by the time he and firefighter William Sosinski were on the scene, the house was fully engulfed in flames.

Kirtland AFB Fire was asked to come and help save the house because they have water tankers, which can hold 5,000 gallons of water.

"The incident commander told us to do a water tanker shuttle," Chief Shaffer explained. "We fed (water to) a ladder truck."

When the tanker ran dry, he explained that they drove six miles to a fire hydrant to fill up the water tanker again, so they could go back and continue to help save the house.

In spite of the Bernalillo, Santa Fe, Edgewood, Tijeras and Kirtland fire departments on scene, the house burned to the ground.

Base Fire Marshal Brent Wilson said, "This was a great example of the teamwork and collaboration we have between local emergency services agencies. The Kirtland Fire Department along with all the local departments always do their best to protect lives and property."