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97th Civil Engineer Squadron, named AETC best

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Seidl
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  The 97th Civil Engineer Squadron is Air Education and Training Command's Department of Defense Fire Prevention Program of the Year winner for 2009.

Each year, the DoD recognizes the accomplishments of fire departments, fire fighters and heroes through the annual DoD Fire and emergency Services Awards Program. The winner of that competition represents the Air Force at the DoD level.

"The fire prevention team every day went above and beyond assisting all the employees of the Mighty 97th in performing their fire prevention and safety responsibilities," said Chief Master Sgt. Paul Pitrat, 97th CES Fire Emergency Services chief.

"The competition within AETC was very competitive; all the AETC installations were eligible to compete," he said.

The Altus AFB Fire Department is responsible for 2.72 million square feet of on-and-off base facilities, approximately 35,000 military, civilian, tenants and temporary duty personnel and $441 million of assets. During 2009, Altus AFB lost only $42,000 in assets due to fire or fire related issues.

By meeting the "Fire Testing of Fire Extinguishing Systems for Protection of Restaurant Cooking Areas" standards, Altus AFB obtained $30,000 to upgrade the Solar Inn. This created a cost effective solution for an oversight during a suppression system update, the largest hanger on base was restored for a savings of $2.3 million.

Through their fire prevention education, the 97th CES taught military family housing tenants fire safety skills, resulting in housing occupants preventing six fires in 2009 saving $900,000. Additionally, with their mobile training classes, teh 97th CES provided 23 hands-on extinguisher classes to 680 personnel in fire suppression, ensuring Altus airmen were ready to respond, during three government building fires saving Altus AFB $295,000.

"Altus' number one key was the fire-safety minded employees who work, live and play at Altus AFB," Chief Pitrat said.  "They are the true fire heroes; they execute the fire prevention program every day and have put out fires before the fires grew into a massive destructive force."