March ARB firefighters assist community

Fire captain Frank Hanson of the March Air Reserve Base (Calif.) firehouse stands in front of a house that his strike team was able to save. The base firefighters received a request for assistance from the local community Aug. 29, 2009, to help battle the massive Station Fire north of Los Angeles. (Courtesy photo)

March firefighters help community battle Station Fire

Published Sept. 4, 2009

MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. -- The base firehouse here received a request for assistance Aug. 29 to help fight Station Fire north of Los Angeles.

The call activated Strike Team 6051A, a team of local fire engines. In addition to March ARB's Engine 10, the strike team included one engine from Indio, one from Murrieta and two from Riverside.

March sent fire captain Frank Hanson, Jeff Cochran, Jon Sandvig and Dan Caballero to an area of the fire just north of Glendale with instructions to protect structures. The firefighters remained on the fire until Sept. 2, when they were dismissed by commanders on the scene.

The strike team is part of a mutual aid agreement between area cities, counties and CalFire. Under the agreement, they call one another when they need help. (Air Force Reserve Command News Service from 452nd Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs reports)