Kirtland, civilian fi re ghters train to battle aircra ft fires Published April 23, 2015 By Ryan Stark Nucleus writer KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- The Kirtland Air Force Base Fire Department joined with civilian departments on April 15 to practice battling a fire in and around a crashed aircraft. The training happens twice a year at a facility just south of the airfield, the Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighter Trainer. Inside a circular gravel pit, the dark-colored metal construct is shaped like an aircraft. The "plane" and ground below are laden with pipes for water and propane. The propane fuels the flames and the water is used to cool the inside of the structure. There is also a spray of water used to simulate flammable jet fuel from the airplane's right wing, something that fire crews would be likely to encounter in the event of an actual plane crash. There are pieces of what look like engine parts and other debris scattered in the fire pit. Kirtland Fire Chief Darryl Stewart said the base's fire department is the primary first-response agency for the airfield, which is shared by Kirtland, the Albuquerque International Sunport and others. A major crash has not ever happened at the airfield, but Kirtland firefighters are called upon when an inbound flight, military or civilian, declares a mechanical or medical emergency. "We need to be an all-services fire department," Stewart said. "We do the airfield fire-fighting in addition to structures and wild land fires. We have a pretty broad mission and our training is extensive." The training keeps Department of Defense-issued certifications current for fire fighters at Kirtland, Stewart said. Facilities like the one at Kirtland are used to augment academic and practical training students at other bases who are enrolled in basic fire training courses, particularly for students at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas. "They put these facilities at bases to give us the capacity to train," he said. Kirtland works with civilian fire departments to help maintain their Federal Aviation Administration certification to fight aircraft fires, he said. Carlsbad and Las Cruces fire department members participated in the April 15 training, working with Kirtland fire fighters in several variations of the aircraft crash scenario. Mike Conover, a driver for the Las Cruces Fire Department, said his department used to train at a fuel pit in Socorro, New Mexico. "The mock-up of the airplane here is a big benefit for us, and it allows us to practice with a real-world feel," Conover said.