MORE PHOTOS

612th Air Base Squadron

The 612th Air Base Squadron provides air base support to Joint Task Force-Bravo operations and 12th Air Force including air traffic control, logistics, base civil engineering, fire department, airfield operations and personnel functions.

Mission 

The 612th Air Base Squadron operates and maintains the Soto Cano Air Base airfield as a critical strategic airlift capable hub in support of the U.S. Southern Command  within Central America with day, night, all-weather capabilities.  As the Senior Airfield Authority at Soto Cano Air Base, the 612th Air Base Squadron is the sole authority responsible for safe airfield operations, and for the control, operation, and maintenance of the airfield and supporting land and facilities. 

The 612th Air Base Squadron's Fire Emergency Services conduct exercise CENTAM SMOKE, a biannual exercise hosted at Soto Cano Air Base that includes participation from multinational firefighters from all across Central America exchanging knowledge with U.S. counterparts, to strengthen partner nation capacities as well as professional and cooperative relationships to maintain regional readiness. 

 

Video Dashboard

612th Air Base Squadron News
Results:
Tag: firefighters

March 28, 2022

USAF, multinational partners train in fire emergencies and rescues at Soto Cano AB

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Firefighters with the 612th Air Base Squadron, based out of Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras will conduct a new iteration of exercise CENTAM SMOKE, a training exercise to enhance firefighting and rescue capabilities, March 28 – April 1.

CENTAM SMOKE 21-1

April 6, 2021

U.S., Honduras, Costa Rica train for fires

Soto Cano Air Base — Joint Task Force-Bravo’s 612th Air Base Squadron hosted a new iteration of exercise CENTAM SMOKE at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras March 22 - 26, with the participation of 19 firefighters from Honduras and 5 from Costa Rica.

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.

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.

A firefighter from Central America participate in a timed event after learning new techniques during Central America Sharing Mutual Operational and Experience at Joint Task Force – Bravo, Apr. 25, 2017. CENTAM SMOKE is a biannual exercise hosted by Joint Task Force – Bravo with 35 participants from across the 7 Central America nations that includes safety, personal protective equipment, apparatus familiarization, fire hose applications, structural/helicopter live fire evolutions, medical training, vehicle extrication, and aircraft (UH–60/CH–47) egress familiarization, Apr. 24-28, 2017. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Scott Thompson/released)

May 8, 2017

Partnership and camaraderie, the key to fighting fires in Central America

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Thirty four firefighters from all across Central America came together here, from April 24 – 28, to participate in the Central America Sharing Mutual Operational Knowledge and Experiences exercise, also known as CENTAM SMOKE, and train in firefighting techniques with their U.S. counterparts from Joint Task Force-Bravo’s 612th Air Base Squadron Fire Department.