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Photos courtesy Mike Groves, Central City Times-Argus.
Greenville, Ky. – Kentucky National Guard firefighters teamed up with their civilian counterparts for some hands on training at the Wendell H. Ford Kentucky Training Center on Saturday, March 19.
The class, which simulated a propane tank fire, was taught by Johnny Walker, state training instructor. Members of the 176th, 177th and 178th Firefighting Teams trained with nearly 100 firefighters from Greenville, Central City, Graham and Bremen.
Staff Sgt. Jimmie Evans, 177th Firefighting Team, said it was a great experience for the Guardsmen to work with civilian firefighters.
[caption id="attachment_5871" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Members of the Kentucky National Guard firefighting teams after a hard day of training with their civilian counterparts."]
"We really like training with the state agencies and local fire departments," he said. "It helps us learn how they do business so if we get called out together we're all familiar with each other's techniques, procedures and equipment."
The Kentucky Guard teams have full spectrum firefighting and rescue capabilities, to include wildland fires, fire prevention services, high angle rescue and aircraft firefighting.
"We're one of the best kept secrets in the Kentucky Guard," said Evans.
The teams' services are not limited just to the WHFRTC. During the 2009 ice storm the Guardsmen were put on state active duty and supported the Greenville fire department, responding to automobile accidents and several house fires.
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