Warrior of the Week: Keeping the community safe tops this Airman's priorities

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Zachiah A. Roberson
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Security is a necessity in the Air Force, and with the help of Airman 1st Class Kirk Tate, this base can remain safe.

Before joining the Air Force, Tate worked at various places, but he felt they weren't going to further him in life.

"I used to work in sales, management positions and even as a commercial delivery driver," said Tate, a 319th Security Forces Squadron vehicle search leader.

Tate is tasked with inspecting commercial vehicles commuting on and off the base. He looks for bombs, weapons and other contraband that may impact the base's mission or security.

When Tate isn't helping protect the base from various threats, he does everything he can to stay busy.

"I spend a lot of time throughout the week working toward my bachelor's degree in criminal justice," said Tate. "I'm also taking classes here and there to finish my associate's degree in fire science."

Since beginning his associate's FIRSC, he spends a large amount of his time volunteering in that subject area.

Tate said being inactive is not something he enjoys; productivity is a key point in his life.
"I don't really like to sit still, either I am finding things to do or meeting new people," said Tate.

"I am a volunteer firefighter with six years of fire service," said Tate. "I started volunteering on September 18, 2006, at Mount Vernon, Illinois."

Tate now volunteers with the Volunteer Fire Department, in Emerado, N.D.

He has responded to about 40 structure fires, conducted cardio pulmonary resuscitation on four different people and has logged more than 500 hours of training. He has responded to two structure fires in North Dakota, one of which he informed the fire chief of a way to help put the fire out.

"The firefighters were just spraying the roof, but the fire wasn't being affected," said Tate. "I strapped myself on to a forklift and cut a hole in the roof to help the water reach the fire better."

Being a firefighter comes with the knowledge that you hold people's lives in your hand on a daily basis. But with that kind of training, firefighters can even assist non-fire related incidents.

Tate said one of the scariest experiences he have ever had was not during an actual fire issue, but during training.

"I was driving a semi truck while working and rear-ended a car. When I got out, I discovered an unconscious 6-year-old child. As soon as I saw him, all of my training kicked in. I treated his spinal injury and took care of him until the ambulance arrived," Tate said. "The paramedic said if it weren't for my actions, this child would have died."