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Kirkuk firefighters train Iraqis

KIRKUK AIR BASE, Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Shannon Anderson shows Iraqi firefighter Saad Edrees Younis how to attack a fire during a joint training session here. Sergeant Shannon is assigned to the 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron's fire department and is from Moody Air Force Base, Ga. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Adrian Cadiz)

by Staff Sgt. Ruth Curfman

506th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs

10/19/2004 - KIRKUK AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- A siren pierces the early evening night calling attention to the bright yellow firetruck speeding toward a pillar of smoke in the distance.

People here are accustomed to the sounds and sights of the emergency response crews as they hurry to save lives and property, but this crew is different.

Instead of U.S. servicemembers deployed to Iraq driving the 10-ton firetruck to its destination, the men behind the wheel have a far more compelling interest in their destination, because they are Iraqi guards.

As part of a program to help rebuild Iraq, the 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron’s fire department graduated 19 Iraqi students here Oct. 13 after completing a three-day first responder, first aid and firefighting course.

In all, more than 284 people have received this training which began in February.