Miramar Hand Crew Joins California's Wildland Firefighting Forces

SAN DIEGO, CA — The Marine Corps Air Station Miramar is officially certified to start a crew of wildland firefighters, says the MCAS Miramar Fire Department. Though the corps has never had a wildland firefighting hand crew, 29 marines are now certified to do just that, according to a recent United States Marine Corps news release.

They are now certified as wildland firefighters, having completed the S-130 Firefighter Training. They are also certified by California Incident Command Certification System. They can respond to all wildland fires on the air station, the Camp Pendleton Base Camp and across the Golden State when needed, according to Chief Brian Cato, assistant chief of training and safety with the MCAS Miramar Fire Department.

In June, they will attend Fire School on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, and the team will keep up with quarterly training to build upon their experience.

Lance Cpl. James Baker, an administrative law clerk with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, MCAS Miramar, is one of the 29 Marines who volunteered.

"Since we're in peacetime, if there's an opportunity that I can do something to benefit somewhere else, then I'm all for it," said Baker, who also volunteers at local youth centers as a coach and youth mentor. "That's why I volunteered to do firefighting. It's imperative that we go above and beyond … If there is any opportunity to make a difference, you should!"

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Thomas M. Bedell, the MCAS Miramar commanding officer, addressed the 29 graduates during the March 24 ceremony.

"I've seen exactly what happens when you have a crew who can cut line, and can save property, and can save lives," said Bedell, a former wildland firefighter himself. "Tied for first for being a Marine was being on a fire crew. I have now done both, and now you all will have that experience too."

Capt. Paul Jacobs, crew boss of the new hand crew, described some of the potential challenges which may lie ahead for the team.

"With the amount of vegetation that's grown this past winter and spring, it's definitely created a threat to the high-value target items on this base," he said. "So, to have some extra help and to have some Marines that are deployable that way, we can go out and suppress some of these wildland fires. It's going to be a great asset for this base."

For more information, read www.marines.mil.