OG Airmen help put out fire

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Eydie Sakura
  • 341st Space Wing Public Affairs Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Two Airmen from Malmstrom put out a grass fire Sept. 10 near Stanford, Mont., nearly 60 miles southeast of Great Falls, Mont. 

Master Sgt. Curtis Hester, 341st Operations Group facility manager superintendent and Tech. Sgt. Donnie Parrish, 341st Operations Support Squadron chef training NCOIC, were visiting a missile alert facility earlier in the day to perform a routine field training observation and facility manager proficiency inspection. Soon after leaving the MAF, they came across a grass fire about five miles down the road. 

"We just pulled over and started to put out the fire," said Sergeant Parrish. "We did not really think about it; we just reacted because we know how fast fires can spread when it is so dry." 

The duo had roughly five gallons of water in the back of their truck and immediately began to douse the fire with water. Soon after, a man in a milk truck pulled over to assist in putting out the fire. 

"[The milk man] had a crate of expired milk and we used that in helping put out the fire," Sergeant Hester said. "Then a truck driver pulled over with some water jugs and we used them and a blanket to extinguish the fire." 

It took the small team of volunteer fire fighters to stomp out the fire and about 10 minutes later, the Sheriff of Judith Basin County and the fire department arrived on-scene. They confirmed that an 18-wheel semi-truck had a blown tire and sparks flew from the blow-out to cause the grass fire near the road. 

"The sheriff and fire department thanked us for helping in getting the fire out," Sergeant Parrish said. "The fire was about 15 feet wide and 40 feet long. I would say we probably saved 3,000 to 4,000 acres of land. There was a ranch about 1,000 feet down the road, too." 

Sergeant Hester said putting out the fire was a true team effort, and he was happy to be able to assist. 

"[Sergeant Parrish and I] thought it was neat how everyone came together and helped put the fire out," he said. "We had military personnel, a milk man, a truck driver and even a tourist stop and come together to save Montana's farm land."