Life in Afghanistan

[FFPCogs 863]

Many people have PMed and emailed mre asking about life "over there" in Afghanistan, so I thought I'd write a quick decription of how it is for those interested.

To start I am now assigned to Kandahar Airfield which, unlike all my previous jobs, is a NATO run base. At present I believe the British are the ones technicaly in charge of the base but almost all NATO countries and a few others are represented here. This makes for some interesting interactions as cultures do clash occasionally, usually with comic results fortunately. It is hot here, I mean really hot. Average temperatures this week have been just above 130 with the nights cooling down to a balmy 100 or so. It is also dusty here to the point that everything has a permant shade of tan covering it, no matter how often you clean it.

My FD here or to use it's proper name Kandahar Fire Crash Rescue Services is comprised of 60 men manning 6 crash trucks, 2 structural Engines and a Tanker along with a Chief and as they call them a Plattoon (our Depruty Chief or Shift Commander) Chief for each of the two shifts. Work schedule is 24 on 24 off or on average an 84 hour work week, which may sound like alot but trust me most would rather be working everyday as there isn't much to do otherwise. We do have a gym at the main station as well as a number of military ones throughout the base that we are free to use. There are 6 DFACs (dining facilites), 1 British, 1 French or Continental, 1 Asian and 2 American, the other I havent found yet but it is reported to be Arabic serving only Hallal food (similar to Kosher). The food itself is edible although as any former soldier can tell you, everything is cooked well beyond well done. Kandahar also boasts a Boardwalk which is just exactly what you'd expect it to be, a wooden sidewalk on which fromts a number of commercial establishments. We have a KFC and Friday's, 2 pizza joints although the term pizza is a bit of a stretch to anyone from our area, a Nathan's open 24 hours to boot a coffe shop and a French Deli/Patisserre. Along with the gastronomic choices there are a number of small "Haji" or locals run shops carrying everything from cigarettes to jewelery and trinkets to a full tailor shop that will make a hand tailored suit for you for about $250. There is also a Bazaar every Saturday with the ubiquitous bootleg movies as well as an impressive selection of junk, haggling a must.

About the FD itself aside from the above. Well I started at the main station, Station 1 which sits on the Airfield. Housed there are 5 of the 6 crash trucks and their attendant crews. I was assigned to Engine 3 one of the two structural units on base. Station 3 houses another crash truck on the opposite side of the runway. Station 3 is a luxuriously appointed Army tent with none of the comforts of home. Station 1 is more akin to a Stateside firehouse with an alarm room, offices, a large dayroom and sleeping quarters (3 to a room). The crash side of the house is busier here since much to my suprise Kandahar Airfield is the busiest single runway airport in the world with between 850 - 1000 inbound and outbound flights a week. And there is quite a wide variety of aircraft in and out of here including C-130s and C-17s, C-5s as well, F-16s, F/A/18s, Harriers, A-10s. We also get 737s, Antonov A-12s and the other really huge Russian one whose designation I can't recall as well as a few 747s. Choppers abound with Blackhawks and Chinooks, Cobras, and Apaches and a large contingent of old Russian machines like the Mil-8 and the Mil -10 for transpot duty. And of course the UAVs which are really quite impressive.

My current assignment is as the Crew Chief (Capt) of Station 2 "Southside". I have with me 4 crewman and our rig is a European spec'ed Rosenbauer from Germany. Needles to say that it takes a bit of getting used to with the pump in the rear and it's overall lack of hose and equipment by our standards, not to mention its all metric. I have a pump that in liters!! Damn Europeans now I have to do math.

Our first due is about 8 sq. miles with roughly 25,000 miltary and civilian residents. Building range from one and two story PEBs (pre engineered buildings) of metal and wood. wooden B and C huts (think ranch houses except it's many offices or sleeping rooms off a central hallway), tents of various sizes up to 200 x 75 and a large number of two story masonary barracks (think garden apartments). Along with these living areas we on the Southside enjoy the distinction of being what back home would be called the industrail side of town. The majority of the mechanical shops, warehouses, stortage facilities fuel points and motorpools are in our first due, along with a host of HazMat goodies. All in all it's a diverse and challenging district.

Now what makes KAFs Fire Department somewhat unique is the fact that we are comprised of a multi national force. There are Indians, Philippinos, South Aficans and a sizeable contingent of Brits. Then there's a few Canucks and representing the good ole USA is Nate who hails form the metro DC area and myself. While English is the required language I have found that it's use is somewhat impeded by the variety of accents in use. In fact I've found that I'll need to invest in an English to English dictionary to communicate with my comrades form the UK...LOL

One of the most common questions I get is, is it safe? Well safe is a relative term in a war zone. We do get regular presents of the 81, 120 and 240mm variety from our Taliban friends outside the wire and they do at times cause casualities. The last was a soldier a few months ago. Our towel headed friends also like to try and crash our party here often by trying to get through the wire. They don't get too far. In fact just prior to my arrival about 100 or so of them got their wish with a one way fast track ticket to meet Allah...isn't that nice for them. Hopefully their buddies will be right behind. Our boys here are more than happy to oblige that wish and we all support them. Vigilance is a necessity here, just like home complacency kills. We do all we can to stay safe, but the reality is, if your numbers up then it's up. Until then I and all of us have a job to do and we just do it.

Some may think this a noble or courageous endeavor, for that I thank you, but please give your kudos to those that really deserve it, the brave and dedicated men and women of our Armed Forces. These folks are as courageous as they come and they are in a sense our kindred spirits....they too put themselves at risk to protect and serve others, all of us here and back home.

In closing I would ask a favor from all who read this. As you go through your day stop for just a minute and think about those service members over here and what they are sacrificing for you and yours. And if it should strike you please find an organization that send things over and send something to a soldier, sailor, or airman here. It couild be anything, a letter, a card and damn tube of toothpaste...anything so that they know that you remember and support them. They will appreciate it more than you know. Freedom is not free and these folks are paying the price for our freedom, please don't forget them.

Cogs

________________

Peter Cogliano

Crew Chief Engine 2 "Southside"

Kandahar Fire Crash Rescue Services

Kandahar Airfield Afghanistan

2nd Capt / Asst. Training Officer

Belltown Fire Dept.

Stamford, CT

[rockl3 1]

thank you for ur service

[firefighter36 52]

Cogs, great post, and thank you for painting a picture of what life is like over there. Stay safe.

[JohnnyOV 2]

I know we have our differences in opinion every now and then, but seriously stay safe over there brother. It takes some real testicular fortitude to man up and spend some real quality time with the sand.

[Monty 35]

Great post - thanks for giving us a view of it. I've wondered how in these kinds of places (and Gitmo) how they staff the KFC and Fridays etc

Stay safe! Look forward to hearing from you again ...

Monty.

[aacofd40 6]

That was a really interesting post.

One of the parts of this system I enjoy is hearing about other departments, and yours is pretty unique.

Thanks, and be safe,

JR

[x635 4,066]

Thank you for your service to our country!

Also, an excellent piece you wrote.

[lad45der 78]

What kind of Bunker gear do you wear over there???. I'm sweating just thinking about what answer your gonna give me.

I'll send a Colony pie over to you...I bet you don't want Hot peppers or Hot Oil!!! C'mon 130 degrees that's child play!!!!

[IzzyEng4 427]

Stay Safe over there Pete. My friend Tim is currently in Saudi Arabia as a firefighter at one of the bases there.

[FFPCogs 863]

To all,

Thanks for the encouragement and support

I know we have our differences in opinion every now and then, but seriously stay safe over there brother. It takes some real testicular fortitude to man up and spend some real quality time with the sand.

Johnny,

Differences of opinion are what makes the world go round and offers us an opportunity to learn, so no sweat. I and eveyone I work with do really appreciate the kudos from everyone back home, but this is a job that we have chosen to do. Firemen here are the same as firemen back home, no more courageous. Each of us risks when we do our duty but that is the path we, all of us, as firefighters ha've chosen. I'm thankful for the opportunity to work with FFs from all over the world and to serve our troops and I am also thankful for all of you back home serving your communities. America's firefighters truly are the "Bravest"

What kind of Bunker gear do you wear over there???. I'm sweating just thinking about what answer your gonna give me.

I'll send a Colony pie over to you...I bet you don't want Hot peppers or Hot Oil!!! C'mon 130 degrees that's child play!!!!

We wear some bright yellow fyrepel I believe is the name. Uncomfortable, hot, and to top it off we're saddled with Cairns Metro 660s or as I refer to them...p#nis helmets. Oh well the gear does at least offer protection as I found out yesterday...twice. We had 2 working fires before 1pm. The first was in a 100x 30 wooden C hut with fire in the rear 3 offices and extending thru the attic space. As first due we got a quick line in place and stopped it cold, although my Phillipino crew needed a little encouragement to advance in the form of a good shove. As for the other it was a 40 x 20 metal storage shed used to house a couple of buses. A total loss before our arrival as they tried to put it put themselves. We did manage to save the nearby exposures, two office trailers and a wooden barracks which were on the verge of going up upon our arrival. We were first due here as well.

Now on to the important stuff. A Colony pie...mmmmmmmmmmmm as Homer would say. That my friend is my first stop when I'm home in Sept., hot oil, stingers and sausage...damn my mouth's watering just thinking about it. But hey good things come to those who wait right?

Stay safe

Cogs

Edited June 10, 2011 by FFPCogs

[FDNYDCHI 38]

Cogs,

Thanks for the great post, Quick question are you active duty of is it contracted firefighting?

Be safe out there

Chris

Edited June 10, 2011 by FDNYDCHI

[FFPCogs 863]

Cogs,

Thanks for the great post, Quick question are you active duty of is it contracted firefighting?

Be safe out there

Chris

Contract Chris.

[FFPCogs 863]

Well here's another quick update from always sunny Kandahar Afghanistan.

The past week has seen us relatively busy running about 5 calls a day on the structural side of the house. Most of these are smells and bells calls which have turned out to be nothing. My conrades on the crash side have had a few calls as well a day, mostly hot brakes although they did get an engine fire on a fully armed Harrier yesterday. All turned out well.

Now for us structural boys yesterday was for us a busy one. 15 calls ,only two of which involved any actual fire though. Both of these were vehilcle fires. The first was a Humvee with the engine compartment going, which was doused immediately. The other was a large "Jingle" truck/tanker hauling fuel. A 'jingle truck" by the way is what the locals use to transport material. They are so called because the exterior of the vehicle is adorned with small bells and murals depicting any number of religious or cultural scenes. Anyway this particular Jingle had the cab rolling good and impinging on the loaded tank on arrival We hit the cab fire while cooling the tank and all ended well...for us. The driver on the other hand lost his indentity cards in the fire as was thus escorted off base by the MPs after a brief interrogation.

We have had a number of rockets come in of late. no injuries or fatalities and only minor damage. During these episodes we are routed to the sector points closest to the impact zone to stand by, under cover of a bunker of course, until the all clear is given and we then do what needs doing. Of course in the event of injuries we are expected and have in the past responded into the "hot" zone while under fire. But of late that hasn't been necessary.

I also got the opportunity the other day to go to a part of the base I had not yet seen. This is on the Northside. As we drove along checking our EMPs (emergency water points) in the 125 degree midafternoon sunshine it dawned on me that "hey, we at the wire". And sure enough we were, not more that 10ft from Talibanistan. I watched as some local shepards tended their flocks a mere 100 ft away. They waved and we waved back and everyone was all smiles....of course I was thinking something entirely different like "is this guy trying to find a hole in the wire"? Well not to worry there were guard towers aplenty and guards to man them too. But it did make for an interesting afternoon diversion.

One more note and this is a sad one. Yesterday saw two ramp ceremonies next door to the main fire station on the airfield. We happened to be there for both occassions so I attended with the permission of our Chief. For those who do not know, a ramp ceremony is held when the body of one of our soldiers is loaded aboard an aircraft, in this case C-17s, for his final trip home. While one of these ceremonies was ongoing I saw two medivacs choppers as well as a C-130 dropping off more wounded. Our Fire Station is adjacent to the hospital. It is these tragic events that bring the reality of what our boys endure here front and center. God Bless em.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures as of yet to share, but when I do I will post them. Of course due to security we are extremely limited as to what we can and cannot share, but I'm sure you all understand.

Thanks to all for serving back home, especially my fellow " Belltown Boys"...ATW since 1928

Stay Safe

Cogs

Edited June 16, 2011 by FFPCogs

[FFPCogs 863]

Well it's been a little while since I wrote so I thought I'd give a quick update.

Overall things have settled down a bit. I've been reasigned back to the main station since my counterpart there went on R&R, and am now the Officer of Engine 3. Ths puts me back on the airfield which means lots of noise all day and all night. But this also allows for some intensive training on the various aircraft stationed here. A high point of that being the tour of an AC-130 or what we refer to as the flying death. Armed with a 25mm gatling gun capable I'm told of 6000 rounds per minute, a 40mm cannon and the big boy 105mm howitzer, this baby can really dish out the pain. And dish it out it does much to the dismay of our towel headed friends outside the wire.

Call wise it's been rather slow with only one structure fire the past couple of weeks. Unfortunately due to it's rather remote location on base and the delay in notification there wasn't much left to save upon arrival. Other than that nothing but a few dumpster fires and smells and bells.

On another front we have been recieving daily mail from the Taliban which usually consists of 6 or 7 rockets at about 5am. Some of the boys on the North side got a bit of a rude awakening the other morning as one of those rockets bounced not more than 50ft from their tent, careened over the runway and hit an unattended garbage truck without exploding. Maybe it was made in China. Seems there's a target of particular importance to our pals in the hills surounding the base on the North side and after a little research I managed to find out what it is...a fuel point with thousands of gallons of JP8 on hand. Needless to say with limited water and foam capabilities this is one of our "nightmare" scenarios. So far though their aim has been anything but true and the ordinance mostly duds..thanks again to the communist work ethic.

But for all that the seriousness of life here has come crashing home the past week with a number of our boys being sent home on their final journey. I don't wish to upset anyone or dreg up memories but the other day was an especially sad one here as 5 service members were loaded aboard the now way too familiar C-17. As I stood on the tarmac adjacent to the ramp ceremony and watched as one by one each flag draped casket was taken aboard I drifted back in time. With "Amazing Grace" on the pipes playing from the loudspeakers my mind went back to the many times I stood in that long blue line on a surburban street, in front of a church as yet another of the 343 was driven past on the way to his final resting place. Now over my years working here or in Iraq I've been to alot of ramp ceremomies and at all of them I would think of the 343, but for some reason on this particular day the emotion and anguish felt on those days so long ago swept over me like a tidal wave. I thought of the loss to the families of these young soldiers. How in a split second the lives of so many people were irrevocably changed and with those thoughts came the realization that for 343 families back home that loss, that void has never been filled, and it never will be. I thought of these young boys who have given their lives in defense of our nation and all that is good about it. And with that I thought about the sacrifice of the 343 and how they exemplified what it means to be a fireman, what it means to be a hero. Under vastly different circumstances the honor, courage and strength of the American spirit shown brightly through the acts of these brave souls on the battlefield here and in the Towers on that fateful September morning. Finally as the ceremony drew to it's conclusion I thought about the sacrifices made by so many and felt the anger well up inside. The fanatics here have brought so much anguish to so many famiies back home and for what. Blind hatred and ignorance.

Since that day last week I have often thought about the events of 10 years ago and what they have meant to me, my family and my Country. The anger persists, but it has been tempered by the realization that, be it the soldiers that I see here making their final journey home or the 343 brave heroes of 9/11, the world is a better place for all of them having been in it....even if only for a short time.

Life goes on as it must, but as we move forward let us not forget the sacrifices made by so many and let us all try to do right by those who have given all so that others may live.

Stay safe

Cogs

[99subi 121]

truly a great read. Do me a favor, hell do us all a favor and write a book. id def buy it!

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

truly a great read. Do me a favor, hell do us all a favor and write a book. id def buy it!

seconded.

[FFPCogs 863]

Today's installment has nothing shattering to report save that for the last 2 nights the Taliban has been getting the sh!t kicked out of them just south of base. Explosions and small arms fire can be heard almost as soon as it gets dark and goes on til early morning just before sunrise..which here is at about 4:45. I've talked to a few soldiers in the know and have been assured that our towel hearded friends are getting a good lambasting, with so far only some minor injuries to our boys...thank God. And another good sign is that to the best of my knowledge there have been no recent ramp ceremonies American or Allied.

In other news rockets continue with their regular frequency although the past two days have been unusually quiet. (generally actions at one side of the base rarely effect the attempts by the jihadists to inflict punishent from the other side, so the events of the past couple of nites are probably unrelated). The temperature remains a a balmy 130 or so, although Friday saw a modest incease to 147. And yes of course we had 2 calls at the height of the heat and the crash boys ran another 3.

One of the things I thought I'd pass along is some of the operational English to English translations and differences we deal with here daily.

To the Brits:

a nozzle is a branch

a search team is a B/A team

a B/A is an airpack

a line is a line but to call for water one must say "water on" as opposed to "charge it" and yes you guessed it....to shut down "water off"

on scene is " in attendence"

Irons are non existant to the Brits so there is no translation there, but they do have tools for forcible entry in the form of a crowbar

Appliances are not for use with hose...they're the rigs

a wye and water thief are a double and triple diverter respectively, while reducers and double males/females are quite the novelty

flat packed hose is quite the novelty for them as well as all their hose is stored in double donut rolls and I have been repeatedly asked why we Americans continue to use those pesky threaded couplings..to which I answer, "that's just the way we do it, here let me show you how".

Tactics differ as well

pulse is how they operate their attack lines (which by the way is more often than not what we call a booster reel) while we Americans in British jargon "jet" the fire

"pulse" is to use repeated rapid short bursts on wide fog into the upper thermal layers and let steam do the work, "jetting" on the other hand is direct application of water which allows water to do the work and creates less steam...as you can well imagine for the Brits we do it to all wrong

Strategic risk assessment is what w call size up, but as I passed along earlier due to the potentail legal ramfication they face the Brits tend to take things a bit farther in assessing risks than some of us are used to

working ahead of a line is always forbidden by their standards, and this has led to a bit of differences of opinion as the Canadians and the few Americans here have been taught to operate as part of a search team ahead of or above a line when necessary..VES is also unheard of and so it seems to their way of thinking borders on suicidal

and the Brits will always have a B/A control officer on hand...even if it means reducing the crew to do so. A B/A control officer can be an officer or a FF but either way he records the time and monitors the clock for everyone who enters the building and he can pull anyone he deems necessary...period

as far as pumping goes hose lengths and diameters are metric in mm with 45mm being the most common line outside of the ubiquitous hose reel. Pump pressures are in bar, which if I'm not mistaken is one bar = 14.5 psi

Well I'm sure there more that I'm forgetting but that's enough for now.

Stay Safe and as always thanks all of you for all you do back home

Cogs

[HubEng21 14]

This story and its updates are great Cogs. Im always checking every day to see if you write something new and I always get reminded to check when I hear the Belltown boys screamin to calls (I live with my girlfriend in Belltown). You truly have a great and risky experience in front of you and, as much as you have already written, a great and risky experience that has already passed. I wish the best for you and all of your crew and obviously the armed forces across the seas with you. Dont stop writing, you have plenty of fans (even if they pretend not to be, ha) who, im sure, are checking to see if anything new has come across from you.

Im assuming you were there when Bin Laden was killed, how was the atmosphere with the men and woman from different nations?

Stay Safe, Stay Cool...

Ty

Port Chester FD Engine 64

Head Driver

[FFPCogs 863]

This story and its updates are great Cogs. Im always checking every day to see if you write something new and I always get reminded to check when I hear the Belltown boys screamin to calls (I live with my girlfriend in Belltown). You truly have a great and risky experience in front of you and, as much as you have already written, a great and risky experience that has already passed. I wish the best for you and all of your crew and obviously the armed forces across the seas with you. Dont stop writing, you have plenty of fans (even if they pretend not to be, ha) who, im sure, are checking to see if anything new has come across from you.

Im assuming you were there when Bin Laden was killed, how was the atmosphere with the men and woman from different nations?

Stay Safe, Stay Cool...

Ty

Port Chester FD Engine 64

Head Driver

Thanks Ty,

I will post when I can or if something major happens. While we all face risks here it is realy no different than home, save the occasional close call from a mortar or rocket. We are all just firemen doing our duty, and like home we do so with what we've got...which truth be told ain't much.

As for bin Laden getting his just desserts, I missed it by a few weeks. I'm told the atmosphere here was jubilant with a bit of anger towards our Pakistani "allies". And yes our friends here from the different allied nations were just as happy to see that lowlife p.o.s. meet Allah as we were. But even with bin A-hole gone things have not subsided outside the wire. Like all such organzations there is always someone waiting in the wings to take over, and with any luck and a bit of hard work the new guy will get is 70 men for his virgin butt sooner rather than later.

On a personal note of sorts, since you're currently living in Belltown feel free to come by the BFD in Sept as I will be home then, maybe we'll even get you to fill out an application.

Stay safe and as always thanks for all that you do

Cogs

Edited July 13, 2011 by FFPCogs

[sqd47bfd 20]

Why wait til September?

Fill out an application now!

[FFPCogs 863]

Since it's my day off (Blue crew works the odd numbered days this month) I thought I'd throw a few tidbits out there for today's installment.

First off I left out one very common translation from my last post. To our British colleagues a call or run is a "shout". So when we return from a run we are often asked " you structural boys had a shout did ya? Tell us what was it all about mate"? or another often heard phrase from the PC (Platoon Chief) is "c'mon now crash guys, we've got a shout...let's get moving".

Well it finally happened, the Talibastards scored a hit with yesterday morning's 5:45 rocket barrage. Fortunately everyone working in this particular hangar/storage building had just left for breakfast as the first volley of 6 or 7 gifts came in. Due to the fact that the impact and subsequent explosion of one of them started a fire, we (meaning Engine 3), were dispatched before the all clear was given. When responding in these circumstances we enjoy the added comfort of wearing our 35 lb flak vests under our turnout coats...(although for my corpulent self a few extra pounds sweated off doesn't hurt). Anyway when called out before the all clear on the structural side only one unit is dispatched, this because we don't want the entire shift wiped out should a lucky or well aimed shot find it's mark. Anyway we arrived to find a 100 x 25 building with modest fire in the rear C/D corner storage area. We immediately stretched in with an 1 3/4 and got to work as I was sure our 750 gallons would easily handle the fire. And it would have except for one tiny little inconvenience. About 2 minutes in we were handed a lovely little suprise in the form of a rocket landing about 200 or so yards away. While not close enough to take shrapnel we not only heard the loud explosion but felt the concussion. At that I ordered the line and pump shut down and we all proceeded to the nearest bunker. An additional 3 rockets landed in rapid succession, but none as close as the first. After a a few minutes an Army Major and I deemed it safe enough and it was back at work. Luckily in our time away the fire had extended upwards and broken through the roof, but by this time our water was running short and all we could do was knock it down and hold it in check by hitting it everytime it flared back up. As often happens as time progressed the fire had become too deeply seated in the stored materials to allow for complete knockdown until the tanker was given the ok to proceed to the scene and we had adequate water. Some might be asking why not just let the place go and protect the exposures, and that was my plan after we had been so rudely interrupted by the Talibastards last shots, but one of the COs on scene made a good case for us to work to hold the fire in check....the multitude of sensative items stored within the building that needed to be removed. So while the Army took care of the salvage operation we held the fire in check. As it turned out as they completed their duties our tanker arrived after the all clear came over the Big Voice and we were able to knock the fire out and save most of the building and it's contents, much to the pleasure of those we are here to serve.

One thing I find that I have been remiss in doing is giving an overview of a typical day (after all the tiltle of this thread is Life in Afghanistan). So with that here it is:

On our days on, shift officially starts at 8am but in reality we gather at about 7:45. At that time all members on duty and all coming on duty meet in the bays and swap radios and get a quick briefing on what's importatnt for the group from the Chief or D/C (Deputy Chief). Once that 2 minute drill is over those going of duty remove their gear ect from the rigs and we that are coming on put ours aboard. Then comes truck, SCBA and equipment checks with all power tools started and run daily. All the daily paperwork is filled out upon completion of the checks and we'll usually have about 15-20 minutes to chill until our morning meeting with the PC (the shift commander) starts at 9am sharp. At this meeting specific duties and miscellaneous jobs are handed out for the crews to complete during the course of the day. These range from pump and bladder checks (these are emergency water points for our use which are spread throughout the base), to inspections to training and so on. Engine 3 also has the daily duty of picking up lunch and dinner from one of the DFACs as the crash crews cannot leave the airfield. Lunch is at 11 and dinner at 5. As you would expect we are not permited into the "day" room other than for lunch during the day. No TV, no personal compuer usage, no games ect ect. Since we have a gym at the station at some point in the day all on duty crews must do PT as well. Our work day in terms of actual duties usually ends with dinner and as such we are free to watch TV or do personal things within the station after that. Lately we've had some good volleyball games in the bays at night. There is no set lights out, but most guys are in their racks by about 11-11:30. That is my usual schedule as well although I'm good at about 4 1/2 to 5 hrs sleep so I'm an early riser. I'm up by 3:30 to 4 am every morning at which time I call home, take out the trash, start the coffee and wash down the invariably dust covered rig for the incoming crew. The official wake up time is 6:30am at which time we give the station a once over, restock the bottled drinking water, and make sure everything is hunky dory for the incoming crew. Usually though as I'm sure you've figured out by now, our real wake up call generally comes at about 5-5:30 from our pals outside the wire. On average we spend about 45 minutes to an hour in the bunker during these interludes of the daily rocket concerto.

Days off on the other hand are ours to do with what we please within the confines of the base. As I've said there is the Boardwalk with it's many gastronomic and commercial choices. There is our living area which has it's own small gym, TV room and, for those who don't own laptops, a computer room. Our laundry is usually packed up on days off and placed in the bin on the first floor. A company contracted to do the laundry picks it up and the usual turn around has the cleaned laundry back on your next day off. For alot of guys they choose to stay in their air conditioned rooms..and at a usual 130 degrees can you blame them? I am a walking wanderer using my days off to meet and greet at the many compounds on base while familarizing myself with them. Call it preplanning and community relations all rolled into one. But as with all days off they are over quickly and then it's back to the grind for another 24.

Well this entry is getting kinda long so I'll end it here with this thought, which comes about due to a converstaion had the other day with a soldier and a very visceral ramp ceremony that same night. I am a supporter of our mission here (beyond it being my job) and I do truly believe that it has helped make America safer, but what I am not a supporter of is sending our boys into harms way with their hands tied. The reasons I say this are too long and complicated to go into here suffice to say it's all politics. My thought is this very simple yet I think practical one. Maybe it's time we stopped nation building and time we started winning this war!!!!

Cogs

Edited July 16, 2011 by FFPCogs

[FFPCogs 863]

Today at 8 1/2 hours ahead of EST and a rather lazy morning I thought I'd look at some of the things that make life "interesting" here from a firefighting perspective.

Like all fire departments we always have to be vigilant when working scenes, as we all know complacency kills. But that philosophy takes on a whole new dimension when working in a desert war zone.

Along with the usual concerns of rescue, extent of fire on arrival, building construction, water supply, manpower ect, we have to always be cognascent of the fact that we often work in temperaures well into the triple digits. Dehydration comes on quickly just walking around let alone making your way down a hallway charged with heat and smoke. Rehab is a number one priority here that must always include adequate supplies of bottled drinking water. We more often than not easily polish off a cooler full of water just doing our daily routine, so in the event of a fire we would special call the Class 1 yard for cases of water to the scene immediately...fortunately this has now become an SOP to ensure it happens every time. Of course keeping hydrated is one part of a rehab, the other unfortunately we are sadly lacking in facilities. That other part being cooling down. Engine 3 is without A/C at the moment and probably for the duration due to logistical issues, so we get no relief there. Engines 1 and 2 do not fare much better so while you will get moving air it will feel more like a hairdryer than A/C. Sometimes we can use a building not directly involved in the fire, but most facilities here are of a secure nature meaning that entry is limited at best, non existant many times...yes in some cases even in the event of a fire.

As has been mentioned in other installments water supply is another huge issue. Engine 3 carries 750 gallons, Engine 2 about the same in liters. Engine 1 is really nothing more than a brush truck with roughly 200 gallons. The only other FD asset is our Tanker (designated E-4) with about 3000 gallons. Now this sounds like a decent amount of water, and generally it is, but there are some mitigating factors in all this, the building construction itself for one. While we have many metal PEBs, hangars and warehouses there are hundreds of wooden structures here, most of which are tightly packed within the various compounds on base. Now add to that the fact that the wood itself is as dry as dust and I'm sure you will see the potential. Along with this menagerie we also have an abundance of tent cities scattered throughout the base, each with it's own issues (not the least of which being a tent will go up in about 30 seconds and they are sometimes no more than 5 feet apart for row after row). There is one more little facet to this as well, the wind. Being a desert there isn't much to block the wind here and most days finds a steady "breeze" of 10-15 mph, so wind is our nemesis more often than not. The wind can push a fire through a compound in no time so, almost like wildland firefighting, it is always a factor to be reckoned with regarding fire spread. Wind also brings on one more joy to life here....sandstorms. Now these phenomena for those who've never experienced one can be brutal. Blinding sand blowing in your eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and yep everywhere else, can cause extreme discomfort and for some even breathing problems. Most times though they're just plain irritating. As far as firefighting goes, well operating blind is never a good thing, but at times it is a reality here when we get a visit from the sandman, so extra diligence is required when one of these storms hits. Weather wise there is still more to enjoy. Come January or so we will be blessed with the rainy season. While a welcome relief for about a day it quickly turns into a mess we'd rather do without as everything (and I do mean everything) becomes encased in a thick layer of cold mud (temps stay above freezing during the day, but there are nights of freezing temps). Rain is almost constant and often heavy to the extreme and with such desicated soil drainage just doesn't happen. So much so that even walking becomes an issues as each step finds your foot sinking into deep puddles or worse, the morass of everpresent mud ...loose fitting shoes are definitely not recommended and sneakers are out altogether. As you can well imagine such conditions can create some real obstacles to effective fireground operations. But then as March rolls in the clouds roll out, not to be seen again til the next January.

I've already covered the operations during our almost daily Talibastard explosives delivery, so no more need be said there, but being a war zone there are other hazards associated with things that go boom. First off we work in a small city in which the vast maority of the populaion is armed. Guns need bullets and even though they are supposed to be stored in the armories, the reality is almost every room on base has some amount of ammo in it. Here it is assumed that you will have to deal with ammo as a matter of course. But it doesn't end with bullets. Grenades are almost ubiquitous and every call carries with it the potential to come face to face with them. In fact vehicle fires tend to be some of the most dangerous as most times they are either coming in from or going out on patrol, hence they are armed...sometimes pretty heavily indeed. And since this is an airfield there is all manner of smart, dumb and just plain big aerial ordinance about. Caution is the key and we excercise it here in spades. Unfortuately there is a more insidious problem that crops up from time to time. Thanks to the Russians this country is one of, if not the, most land mine infested patches of real estate on earth. Not only do these left over devices of death give those towel headed fiends ample raw bomb making material, they have been known to pop up in the most unexpected places. Here's a little story to illustrate this and another point.

Last night at about 1am we were dispatched to a reported structure fire in the Dutch compound. This compound lies only a short distance from the fire station, so as we were responding I'm looking for the telltale glow in the night sky. There wasn't one. Upon arrival our E-1 entered the compound to find it all dark and quiet. The flashing lights awakened some of the Dutch soldiers, who moments before had been dreaming of drinks on the beach with their scantily clad honeys. But alas our visit rustled them from their slumber to see what was happening. With a few gestures and accented English we determined that there was in fact no fire here. At almost that moment dispatched called to say that we had been given the wrong address and the fire was in another building which as it turned out was right across the street. We had positioned our Engine directly in front of the fence leading to said building and I confirmed that this was indeed the address. A quick walkaround found nothing, information which I dutifully informed dispatch. A call to the JDOC (base command center) gave us a bit more info. It wasn't a fire at all but an unexploded bomb in this building that was the problem. So with that we called for the UXO team (unexploded ordinance) and awaited their arrival. During the interim a worker from a Turkish contactor building new parking ramps on the airfield nearby approached us and in highly excited and broken English called for us to follow him. I verified that it was ok with the IC as this man seemed to be almost hysterical and we assumed someone had been injured at the worksite. A quick two minute walk had my two FFs and myself staring at what was the cause of all the commotion. A backhoe had unearthed a large landmine, which somehow didn't go off. Amazingly workers continued to toil no more than 20 feet away. Thankfully I had been involved in a similar incident last year and knew the process. We stopped the work, cordoned off the area, secured the immediate area around the mine by building a burm about 10 ft around it and notifed EOD to send the UXO team to this location. A call to the JDOC to inform them of this development found that they had known about this situation for a good bit of time but had "forgotten to tell our dispatch". The point of this little tidbit is twofold. First as this paragraph explains bombs abound here, even ones our forces didn't bring which can literally be right under foot, and with all those explosives around comes the very real possibilty of serious injury or death. But secondly the miscommunication involved is a regular occurrence. Communications here are spotty at best since our radios suck and on top of that the flow of information can be almost insignificant. Secrecy is a must with most activities on base so we are generally given precious little in the way of useful info. Compunding that is the fact that most people here are transient, so even though the roads are named and the building numbered, most people have a hard time trying to explain their location or that of an incident. The old joke about following the cloud of smoke sometimes can have real meaning here.

There is of course more to the story of the tribulations of life here, but we'll save that for another day.

In closing for today I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea, I'm not lamenting these facts of life here, in fact you could say in a sense I relish them. The challenges we face, or should I say overcoming those challenges, are what makes this job so rewarding for many of us. Life here is definititely one where it is what you make of it, and it's not for everyone. Complaining would be easy, and truth be told we do get our share of complainers, but in the end such an attitude will not serve anyone here. Most who come out to these parts with msconceptions find out real quick that it's not for them..and quite frankly we don't tolerate the b!tchers and whiners for long anyway. More often than not their on the first plane back to the real world having been humbled by the experience. Just a few more points for anyone who might be thinking of working out here. First off you have got to understand that this is a war zone, and even the "quiet" places can be fraught with unforseen dangers and violence. Second, don't be fooled by the fallacy that you will come out here and become rich. That just isn't so, especially if like me your from the NYC metro area. Under my current contract you can make a decent living, support a family and if you're a little bit financially responsible see some of the world and still have a little nest egg when you're done. If you're looking for money alone (and there's nothing wrong with that) look elsewhere. (A word on ATCO my employer. I make far less than I have on other deployments but the leave package and the fact they treat us well, coupled with my personal conviction and sense of duty is why I took this job ). And finally if you want to come out here never forget that while you are working for the U.S. Government in support of our troops and their mission, you are doing so for a for-profit company. The bottom line will always win out in matters affecting your ability to do your job. This needn't discourage you, nor should it irritate you if you can, like most of us, be resourceful. Life here can easily suck, but it can also be one of the most rewarding experiences you will ever embark upon, it's up to you. Come here for the right reasons, take care of the troops and work hard and you will come away with benefits you didn't expect.

Stay Safe

and to all....especially my Belltown Boys (AtW since 1928):

thanks for all you do back home.

Cogs

Edited July 20, 2011 by FFPCogs

[FFPCogs 863]

Here's some pics of where we live off duty.

Here's Crash 8 (9's in the background), Crash 5 and the HazMat truck on the taxiway apron at the station

The dayroom at the station

A small camel spider...they get much much bigger (about the size of the average man's hand) and while not venomous they give a painful bite

This one speaks for itself...needless to say when this hits the Talibastards they're having a bad day

An A-10 drill

Blackhawk training

Looking Northeast across the base from Crash 10 at the station

Looking North from our apron on the taxiway...Kandahar city is just over that mountain and this is where most of our incoming deliveries originate.

That's all for now as more become available and pass security I'll post them.

Cogs

Edited July 22, 2011 by FFPCogs

[Monty 35]

Very cool. Thanks for the updates & pictures - It certainly sounds like a unique experience.

Part of me would love to experience it - but part of me knows that it would be a real tough experience.

[HubEng21 14]

Why wait til September?

Fill out an application now!

Bunch of guys have already told me to do that lol. My plate is a little full right now but ill be sure to stop by

[FFPCogs 863]

Here's a few more mundane pics showing the everyday here.

This is Blue crew saying goodbye to a nurse from the Role 3 next door. Role 3 is the trauma hospital and it is an excellent facility. They have a 98% survivial rate for patients that come in with a pulse.

Here we are at shift chage in the morning, that's blue crew with backs to the wall and I'm on the far right. This was taken the morning of Hector's B'day which is why he's the men at centerstage

Here's Nate (from DC) and Sharma (from India) in front of Engine 3 (my current rig). John (a Brit) is behind the wheel. He was the driver when this pic was taken but he's been reassigned to E-2 on the Southside. I'm still waiting for the E-2 pics from him.

These two are of me giving the lecture portion of a fly the wye drill. The "action" shots are unviewable...sorry.

Just a little bit of news. Yesterday (and it seems more to come) was a first even for me after years over in the sandbox. Temperatures topped 148...yes I said 148. That's the hottest I've ever been outside a fire and damn you can really feel the heat.

Anyway stay safe all and thanks for your efforts

Cogs

[obrien3044 2]

I just noticed the sign on the front of the station. Myself and another guy from my Guard unit made that back in early 2002 in our downtime. I really glad to see that it is still exists, take good care of it. I was one of the first firefighers at KDH when the airfield was first taken. We were a combination of active duty and ANG units. It was a busy place to be and we didn't have much to work with. It was definitely one of the most interesting experiences of my life and it is pretty cool to see how the airfield has developed over the years.

[sqd47bfd 20]

E-3 looks like a Spartan Gladiator cab?

Who made the rig?

[FFPCogs 863]

I just noticed the sign on the front of the station. Myself and another guy from my Guard unit made that back in early 2002 in our downtime. I really glad to see that it is still exists, take good care of it. I was one of the first firefighers at KDH when the airfield was first taken. We were a combination of active duty and ANG units. It was a busy place to be and we didn't have much to work with. It was definitely one of the most interesting experiences of my life and it is pretty cool to see how the airfield has developed over the years.

Thanks for the sign and we will take good care of it and thanks for kickin the sh!t out of the Talibitches back in 2002. The Terminal at the airfield next door to the fire station still bears the signs of that whoompin'.

You might be suprised at how much this place has grown since then and yeah it is indeed interesting in a number of aspects.

Take care and Stay safe

Cogs

Edited July 26, 2011 by FFPCogs

[FFPCogs 863]

E-3 looks like a Spartan Gladiator cab?

Who made the rig?

Pat,

The rig is a late 80's or 1990 E-one. It is the most idiotically designed piece of fire apparatus I've ever seen, but it does do the job.....barely

See you soon

Stay Safe

Cogs