Firefighters support counter-drug operations

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Joseph Kapinos
  • 319th Public Affairs
Grand Forks AFB, N.D. --  A little island 35 miles off the coast of Venezuela was the temporary southern home for a dozen Warriors of the North as they conducted firefighting operations in support of counter drug missions that included aircraft from the U.S. Navy and Great Britain. 

The firefighters were at the island of Curacao as part of a rotating mission with U.S. National Guardsmen that directly supports a treaty agreement between the United States and the Netherlands. 

“The treaty goes back about 10 years and was put into place in order to stop the flow of drugs coming into the United States and the Netherlands,” said Staff Sergeant Eric M. Falk, a firefighter with the 319th Civil Engineering Squadron. 

“Curacao is actually a part of the Dutch Antilles,” he added. 

While the deployment might seem like a vacation on a tropical island to some, the firefighters were there for a serious mission; keeping people safe in the event of an emergency. 

“We were there because the local firefighters were not trained on entering an aircraft in the event of a fire or interior firefighting on planes,” said Falk. “They weren’t trained go inside a burning aircraft to rescue someone.” 

The firefighting and the counter drug missions were not the only operations at the island. Security forces were also assigned to the base to ensure security for all personnel and aircraft. 

While the aircrews were on the island for only about 45 days, many of the support personnel were on duty for nearly six months, along with the unit leadership. 

Despite the demands of the mission, there was time for the team to relax and enjoy the island. 

“Many of us got involved in the most popular activity on the island, which is scuba diving,” said Tech. Sgt. Dewayne Reeves, a firefighter also with the 319th Civil Engineering Squadron. “The hotel even had a dive shop in the courtyard,” he added. 

The mission was the opportunity of a lifetime according to many of these firefighters, giving them the chance to help keep drugs off the streets of both the United States and an ally. It also went a long way in showcasing the professionals behind the badge. 

“Anytime you have an Air Force plane somewhere, you have to have an Air Force firefighter, that’s why we’re there,” said Falk