Naval Station Guantanamo Bay's (NSGB) fire department has its mobile aircraft fire training device (MAFTD) aircraft fire simulator in operation, giving the firefighters on base a more realistic training scenario for aircraft firefighting.

A MAFD is a mobile device that allows the fire department to move it and set it up anywhere they would like to do training. The MAFTD is a live fire aircraft simulator run by liquid propane that allow the firefighters to train for different types of scenarios such as an interior, engine, wing or ground fires that would be encountered when responding to an actual aircraft mishap at the airfield.

Having the simulator allows the NSGB fire department to fulfill its training requirements that are needed for direct hire personnel.
"Having this (MAFTD) online will help us get our newer firefighters their Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) certification, number one," said David Herman, NSGB Fire Department, Assistant Chief of Training, "but also giving them actual hands-on experience and knowledge of fighting an aircraft fire."

For approximately the past 18 months, the fire department has been simulating aircraft fires by using structural training scenarios (Class A type fires).

"We always enjoy doing training, it gets us ready for any real world situation," said Claudine Miller, NSGB firefighter.

The benefits of having the simulator on base are recognized not only by the Fire Department's leadership, but also by the firefighters as well.
Ricardo Bryan, an NSGB firefighter, has only been with the department here for a year, noting that training in the MAFTD is different from the structural firefighting scenarios he is used to.

"It's my first time doing training with the simulator and propane fires are harder to put out," said Bryan. "I feel like it was really good training. Aircraft firefighting is a learning process for me and I think I need more experience in it."

Having the MAFTD online allows the fire department to work toward its goal of accreditation.

"By having this simulator back up and running, it definitely enhances our training program quite significantly by allowing us to maintain proficiency as well as provide the training for the new folks," said Herman.

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