Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Newsroom

    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      A member of Vandenberg Hotshots subdues a controlled fire Sept. 18, 2019 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The goal of this one-day burn was to reduce the risk of wildfires, as well as increase the habitat for an endangered species that resides in the area by re-contouring the sand dunes for more suitable nesting conditions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Aubree Milks)Vandenberg AFB awarded best DoD fire department for 7th time
                        
                        
                        A member of Vandenberg Air Force Base “Hotshots” subdues a controlled fire at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Sept. 18, 2019. The goal of this one-day burn was to reduce the risk of wildfires as well as increase the habitat for an endangered species that resides in the area by re-contouring the sand dunes for more suitable nesting conditions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Aubree Milks)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        30th Space Wing firefighters arrive on scene during a DUI production reenactment during Spring Wingman Day May 23, 2019, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The production highlighted the potential consequences of driving under the influence and the damage it can do to those around you. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Hanah Abercrombie)Vandenberg AFB awarded best DoD fire department for 7th time
                        
                        
                        Firefighters with the 30th Space Wing arrive on the scene during a DUI production reenactment at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., May 23, 2019. The production highlighted the potential consequences of driving under the influence and the damage it can do. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Hanah Abercrombie)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Vandenberg AFB awarded best DoD fire department for 7th timePublished Oct. 31, 2019
                    
                    By Senior Airman Clayton Wear
                    
                    
                    30th Space Wing Public Affairs
            **VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) --**As a space wing, **Vandenberg Air Force Base** lacks the aircraft and heavy use of its runway that would reflect greatly on a fire department during award season. Even in the lack of these two arenas, the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron fire department has been awarded not only the “Best Fire Department in the Air Force” but also the “Best Fire Department in the Department of Defense” for 2018.
Following their mission to “serve, save, survive,” the department distinguished itself in California with their immediate response to the Montecito mudslide disaster in 2018. Due to blocked roads, this had one of Vandenberg AFB’s members as the site commander for the first 12 hours of response. For these actions, the department was also awarded the “2018 Air Force Heroism Award.”
“The reality is most fire departments never win the ‘big one,’” said Mark Farias, 30th CES fire chief. “So it’s certainly an honor to be selected as the best of the best! As big of a deal as that is for us, it’s even more important to maintain that level of performance and service. We’ve been selected as the best in the business seven times since 2003...and we were not eligible to compete in the years in-between.”
All while Vandenberg AFB’s fire department has lacked aircraft and a mission that is normal to an Air Force base, the fire department has innovated new ways to stay ready in a changing landscape. For example, Vandenberg AFB is the only base with a “hotshot” crew which specializes in wildland firefighting, a qualified urban search and rescue team and a water rescue team.
“Our firefighters are the only Air Force nationally certified Type I USAR Team,” Farias said. “We pursued this capability because our most compelling natural disaster threats are earthquakes, and our base didn’t have any organic emergency intervention capability, so we felt as professionals that we needed to develop one...and we did! The same goes for our water rescue team. We have 46 miles of coastline that frequents a lot of recreational and commercial water activity. On a good day, the Coast Guard is 3 1/2 hours away, so we developed a water rescue team.”
Most Vandenberg AFB fire officers are on a Type I, all-hazard team, or Type II, wildland team, National Incident Management Team and regularly respond to the worst incidents in the nation. Also, since the development of the water rescue team, they have recovered or rescued 17 people. For Farias, it is not his department's qualifications and success that make it so great but its culture.
“One of our agency’s greatest innovations has been our culture,” Farias said. “This is our secret sauce--the unifying force across all of our sections and functions. Our culture is a point of pride for us and the envy of others. Our culture is our ‘why’-- our sense of purpose. When we’re clear about why we’re here, where we’re going, who we serve, and how we’re getting there...people start to feel ownership for what we do. They feel fulfilled because it’s personal.”
Personal ownership is not just required for a “feel good” workday. Firefighting deals with very real, potentially dangerous problems. The department fosters the development of field leaders or those who are accountable to make time-sensitive decisions on their own.
Leadership inoculation starts immediately after a firefighter arrives from technical school training. Known in the firefighter circles as the “Rookie Program,” new firefighters learn the ropes of their job for a full year before donning a yellow hard hat.
“One of the things that came up during the Air Force fire chief conference this year was that our 12-month rookie program was specifically highlighted,” said Tech. Sgt. Mathew Quackenbush, 30th CES north battalion chief. “They were impressed so much so that they are trying to add this to the firefighting curriculum Air Force wide.”
Focused on developing confident leaders at every level, the program includes all of the key components for a new firefighter to later progress into the fire officer ranks.
“The program is very structured for them to hit their benchmarks,” Quackenbush said. “It focuses on structural fires, USAR, rope rescue, wildland firefighting and the space and missile capabilities that we have. Through the process, these members become better firefighters to support the base and community. We also developed a 12-month fire officer program that really develops their people skills, business skills and leadership skills. They learn strategic planning, budgeting, public speaking, coaching, mentoring, communicating and incident command.”
The 30th CES Fire Department innovate how fire is fought. In the last few years, members have even trained outside agencies on the tricks of the trade. Through every ladder peg of leadership, the 30th CES Fire Department understands their impact on the mission.
“We build our reputation one 911 call, one emergency response, one fire safety inspection at a time,” Farias said. “Knowing that every action we take has an impact on the lives of our customers, we are solution providers! We respond to and solve some of our community’s toughest problems. Our people dedicate themselves day in and day out to fulfilling our mission to serve, save, survive.”AFWN 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



award 



recognition 



2018 Best DoD Fire Department 



Vandenberg Air Force Base 



30th Civil Engineer Squadron 



best of the best 



firefighters 



2018 Air Force Heroism Award 



Serve-Save-Survive 



professionalism 



AFSPC 



Air Force Space Command 



30th Space Wing Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                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 fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power Competition
                    
                    SECAF, 16th Air Force CC visit America’s Cryptologic WingInnovation
                DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in Hawaii
                    
                    AFWERX accepting applications for spring 2024 fellowship
                    
                    Restoring an F-35A Lightning II: A collaborative endeavorMAJCOM News
                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
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander emphasizes five focus areas during AFA Warfare Symposium
                    
                    PACAF welcomes new commander
 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