The firetruck from Station #2 leaves the station with the water spraying in front of the truck to get the water on the fire quicker during nighttime aircrew evacuation training Oct. 20, 2021 at Henry Post Army Air Field.

While already spraying water, firefighters drag the hose over to a prop helicopter to put out any fire so they can get to the aircrew (mannequin) inside on Fort Sill’s Henry Post Army Air Field during training Oct. 20, 2021.

After accessing the helicopter, Fort Sill firefighters concentrate on getting the victim out and to safety during the nighttime aircrew evacuation training on Henry Post Army Air Field Oct. 20, 2021.

Firefighters drag a mannequin away from a helicopter toward the firetruck on Fort Sill’s Henry Post Army Air Field during training Oct. 20, 2021.

Fort Sill firefighters gathered at Station #2 at the Henry Post Army Airfield to conduct aircrew extraction training at 7 p.m. on Oct. 18, 20 and 22. The reason for scheduling the training over three days is to ensure all shifts of Fort Sill firefighters receive the nighttime extraction training.

Steven Cusumano, a firefighter at Station #2, said they do the training to keep up with the necessary skills they would need if an airplane or helicopter crash-landed at the airfield. “Our job is to ensure that the personnel in the aircraft are out and away from the craft and to keep the hazmat (hazardous material), which could be fuel or ammunition, contained. We continuously train so if an aircraft crash-landed we would be able to evacuate them as quickly as possible.”

The current training is nighttime egress, which is required yearly. There is also daytime egress training, which is required quarterly to maintain firefighter proficiency.

“Today we are doing a rescue so we will have a mannequin in the prop helicopter here on the airfield, and we will rotate the crews from the other stations through so that every firefighter will have a chance to do the rescue in the different positions on the truck,” said Cusumano.

Check out all the photos from the training event at www.flickr.com/fortsillcannoneer/albums/7215770051331914