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CENTAM SMOKE

April 13, 2021

Sergeant Sánchez: A firefighter’s journey to recovery

Soto Cano Air Base — On one of his days off from duty, traveling from the city of La Esperanza to Gracias, in the department of Lempira, Honduras, Sergeant Brian Sánchez, a firefighter with the Gracias Lempira Fire Department was involved in an auto accident. While stuck underneath the overturned vehicle, he lost consciousness. Local search and rescue officers and passersby spent hours using all available resources to lift the vehicle to rescue him. He was then taken in the back of a pickup truck to the nearest medical facility. Upon arrival at the hospital, doctors determined he required immediate brain surgery - a service that is not available in a town that small. A decision was quickly made to transport him to the Medical Center in Tegucigalpa.  

25 Central American firefighters graduate from US Air Force led exercise

Aug. 26, 2019

25 Central American firefighters graduate from U.S. Air Force led exercise

Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras — Joint Task Force-Bravo, 612th Air Squadron firefighters trained with 25 firefighters from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize and Costa Rica at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras during Central America Sharing Mutual Operational Knowledge and Experiences (CENTAM SMOKE), a biannual exercise held on base, August 19 - 23.

U.S. Army medics from Joint Task Force - Bravo Medical Element transport a burn victim to a casualty collection point during a joint training exercise, June 26, 2019, at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras. Members from Joint Task Force – Bravo’s Medical Element, 612th Air Base Squadron firefighters and 480th Military Police Company worked together to accomplish goals during the training event. The event involved the firefighters entering a smoke-filled building to recover burn casualties while the Medical Element performed triage at the scene. The 480TH MPC members provided a cordon of the area and kept rioting personnel from entering the scene. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Eric Summers Jr.)

July 1, 2019

Joint forces hone cohesion and skills during fire exercise

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — U.S. Air Force and Army service members from Joint Task Force – Bravo and Army Support Activity held a joint training exercise June 26, 2019, here. Firefighters from the 612th Air Base Squadron, medics from the Medical Element and security personnel from the 480th Military Police Company Forward 1 partnered together to rescue simulated burn casualties from a smoke-filled building and provide care to them on the scene.

U.S. Army Sgt. Alicia Baum, 1st Battalion 228th Aviation Regiment flight paramedic, analyzes the condition of a simulated aircraft casualty during a search and rescue exercise, May 21, 2019, in Comayagua, Honduras. Members from various units on Joint Task Force – Bravo participated in the exercise that simulated a HH-60 Blackhawk crashed during a routine flight carrying personnel. The exercise practiced notification, recall, search and rescue, on-scene medical care, recovery of personnel from low and high angle austere terrain, and medical care once the injured returned to base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Eric Summers Jr.)

May 30, 2019

Helicopter exercise tests JTF-B rescue capabilities

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — What started off as a routine passenger transport flight resulted in a search and recovery mission for Joint Task Force – Bravo The simulated scenario tested the base’s capabilities and procedures during a personnel recovery exercise, here, May 21.

A UH-60 Blackhawk from the 1-228th Aviation Regiment aims to extinguish a simulated wildfire to show the additional capabilities of Joint Task Force - Bravo during the Central America Sharing Mutual Operational Knowledge and Experiences (CENTAM SMOKE) exercise, April 11, 2019, at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras. CENTAM SMOKE brought together firefighters from Honduras, Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala and El Salvador to train with U.S. Air Force members as well as develop bonds and understandings of one another’s culture with team building exercises. The weeklong training included aircraft and structural fires, vehicle extrication, and a firefighter combat challenge. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Eric Summers Jr.)

April 16, 2019

JTF-B burns cultural barriers during CENTAM SMOKE

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Firefighters from five Central American countries and Joint Task Force - Bravo participated in Central America Sharing Mutual Operational Knowledge and Experiences (CENTAM SMOKE) exercise, from April 8 - 12, here. CENTAM SMOKE, a biannual event hosted by the 612th Air Base Squadron, brought together fire fighters from Honduras, Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala and El Salvador to train with U.S. Air Force members as well as develop bonds and understandings of one another’s culture with team building training.