Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Tech. Sgt. Kyle Rollins, 22nd Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, contains a wildfire March 7, 2016, in Reno County, Kan. Eighteen firefighters from McConnell Air Force Base responded to the fire to aid the local fire departments. (Courtesy photo)McConnell firefighters aid community during wildfires
                        
                        
                        Tech. Sgt. Kyle Rollins, 22nd Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, contains a wildfire March 7, 2016, in Reno County, Kan. Eighteen firefighters from McConnell Air Force Base responded to the fire to aid the local fire departments. (Courtesy photo)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

McConnell AFB firefighters help extinguish Kansas wildfiresPublished March 16, 2017
                    
                    By Airman 1st Class Erin McClellan
                    
                    
                    22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
            **MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. (AFNS) --**Eighteen firefighters from McConnell Air Force Base’s 22nd Civil Engineer Squadron fire department responded to an off-base wildfire in Reno County, Kansas, March 7 and 8, 2017.
The responding groups, which consisted of both military and civilians, were part of more than 2,000 firefighters from 216 organizations that aided in the emergency, said Doug Hanen, the Hutchinson Fire Department interim fire chief. 
The call for assistance was received the night of March 6, and the first group of nine firefighters responded March 7, after obtaining approval from base leadership. The Airmen worked a 12-hour shift before rotating out with nine new Airmen.
“We were in extreme fire conditions,” Hanen said. “We had been battling large grass fires since Friday, and then on Monday the Highlands fire escaped the fire line and ran for seven miles, destroying nine homes and many outbuildings. All local resources were exhausted and the weather conditions were not letting up.” 
McConnell firefighters traveled 59 miles to the scene of the fire and teamed up with departments that were already there to battle the fire. 
“We were given our own division, so we had other fire departments working below us,” said Richard Barnett, the 22nd CES assistant chief of operations. “We were directly in charge of over 700 acres with 108 structures. 
“The crews that we relieved from the night before‒ a totally different department and group of firefighters‒ had actually done a lot to save those structures, and we just had to make sure that (the fires) didn’t flare up again. Those guys did a great job.”
McConnell’s fire department has a direct mutual-aid agreement with Sedgwick County, but large-scale fires like this happen rarely. Working this fire enabled the firefighters to experience new situations and learn how other departments operate, Barnett said. 
The organizations that responded were not only able to help mitigate the loss of assets, but also bring comfort to the area’s residents. 
“It’s very rewarding,” Barnett said. “Our base of operation was out of a small fire station, and the people who were still in the area were bringing us food all day long. They were just very happy that we were up there helping.”firefighter 



AMC 



22nd Civil Engineer Squadron 



McConnell AFB Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF, CSAF, CMSAF begin Indo-Pacific trip focused on ACE
                    
                    DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fightInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalistsMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil