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ŁASK AIR BASE, Poland — U.S. service members stationed in Germany and Poland, as well as Polish firefighters assigned to the 32nd Tactical Air Base met prior to the start of Aviation Detachment Rotation 21.3 at Łask Air Base, Poland, July 28.
The discussion was designed to eliminate confusion between agencies and to streamline the emergency response reaction time and responsibilities of everyone involved.
“This meeting was vital to smooth operations for the duration of the exercise”, said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Sean Howley, lead firefighter, 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron. “It allowed us to get ahead of real world emergencies that could potentially arise on aircraft during the ADR.”
The biggest item clarified during the discussion was hydrazine exposure response. Hydrazine is a highly toxic, clear liquid that burns at an extremely high temperature to power the aircraft’s turbine engine during a loss of power situation.
“Meetings like this are important because they ensure that both parties can set expectations and establish ground rules”, said Master Sgt. Albert Morales, superintendent, Detachment 1, 52nd Operations Group. “In doing both of those things, we’re able to effectively respond to any type of emergency.”
Howley, who moderated the discussion, also said that the Airmen from Spangdahlem are excited to continue building upon their relationship with the Polish air force.
“Diving into their culture and working side by side with them has been an amazing opportunity”, Howley said. “I just hope that they learn as much from us as we learn from them. The world is always evolving and military readiness is vital to successful operations.”
