FORT RILEY, Kan. - Every year, fire departments that support airports and aircraft are required by the Federal Aviation Administration to be certified for airport rescue. Part of that certification requires live fire burns at night.
During Fort Riley's annual certification Oct. 25, Lucas Everett, a firefighter with the Hays Fire Department, joined Fort Riley Fire Department firefighters for their night-fire training exercise.
Everett, who was hired as a full-time firefighter for Hays in May, missed out on his own department's annual training. Fort Riley was contacted about allowing Everett to train with the FRFD.
"They knew we had an aircraft trainer, said Bryan Frayser, assistant chief of training with the FRFD. "Normally an outside agency from Missouri would travel to Hays for their annual training."
"Basically, I came here because the FAA requires me to be on a trainer like this so that I can be airport rescue certified for our airport," Everett said.
The two departments, however, support different types of aircraft - Fort Riley mostly supports helicopters, and Hays mostly supports planes.
Everett said the two differences he saw between the departments was Fort Riley has more resources and more availability to train.
The Hays Regional Airport features two runways - a 6,500-foot by 100-foot asphaltic concrete runway and a 4,500-foot by 75-foot crosswind runway. Their terminal features Great Lakes Airlines with three to four direct flights each day to Denver, as well as an automobile rental service. Hays Regional Airport services 20-passenger Beechcraft planes, two-passenger Cessna planes, which are privately owned, as well as helicopters.
Marshall Army Airfield features a 4,503-foot by 100-foot runway. It also supports the Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, which flies AH-64 Apache Longbow, CH-47 Chinook, UH-60 Black Hawk and OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopters.
Prior to being hired as a full-time firefighter, Everett was a volunteer for three years.
Frayser said allowing Everett to train with the local department promotes community relations, mutual aid and working relations outside the gate.
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