Col. Leyth, Baghdad Civil Defense chief; Nasser Muhssen, mayor of the Mada’in Qada; and Katheim Shamri, Salman Pak council chairman, cut the ribbon signifying the opening of the Salman Pak Fire Station April 2._JPG__thumb.jpg)
Story by Sgt. Natalie Rostek, 3rd HBCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq - A fire station opened in Salman
Pak April 2, the only one of its kind in the entire southern area of the
Mada’in Qada, home to approximately 1.2 million citizens.
Leaders of the Mada’in Qada and the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team
attended the grand opening of the station.
The project began six months ago, said Col. Ryan J. Kuhn, from Clarks, Neb., deputy commanding officer of the 3rd HBCT.
“This shows how we can work together with the Iraqi Security Forces and
the Government of Iraq to put a great facility into a town that has been
cut off since 2005,” Kuhn said.
In addition to providing fire trucks and equipment to the station, Kuhn
said, the GoI has also provided 80 firefighters to work full-time in the
facility.
“All we had to do was work with the Government of Iraq to build the
facility,” he said.
“They are going to man it and equip it. It’s very
significant to this fire department. We are very happy to assist and be
part of it.”
Although not trained firefighters yet, Kuhn said the recruits will
attend a three-month course at a training academy in Baghdad.
Emergency calls are routed through the joint security station located
near the fire station in Salman Pak, Kuhn said.
The JSS is manned bypolice officers, government officials, emergency services and Coalition forces.
“We all work together to ensure the good citizens are provided for,”
Kuhn said.
“This is just a huge step in the right direction. There is
security here because of the Iraqis.
They have said, ‘Enough with the violence. We want to get back to what we need to be doing and that is taking care of our families and providing for all the good people.’”
The 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., has been
deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 200
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq - A fire station opened in Salman
Pak April 2, the only one of its kind in the entire southern area of the
Mada’in Qada, home to approximately 1.2 million citizens.
Leaders of the Mada’in Qada and the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team
attended the grand opening of the station.
The project began six months ago, said Col. Ryan J. Kuhn, from Clarks, Neb., deputy commanding officer of the 3rd HBCT.
“This shows how we can work together with the Iraqi Security Forces and
the Government of Iraq to put a great facility into a town that has been
cut off since 2005,” Kuhn said.
In addition to providing fire trucks and equipment to the station, Kuhn
said, the GoI has also provided 80 firefighters to work full-time in the
facility.
“All we had to do was work with the Government of Iraq to build the
facility,” he said.
“They are going to man it and equip it. It’s very
significant to this fire department. We are very happy to assist and be
part of it.”
Although not trained firefighters yet, Kuhn said the recruits will
attend a three-month course at a training academy in Baghdad.
Emergency calls are routed through the joint security station located
near the fire station in Salman Pak, Kuhn said.
The JSS is manned bypolice officers, government officials, emergency services and Coalition forces.
“We all work together to ensure the good citizens are provided for,”
Kuhn said.
“This is just a huge step in the right direction. There is
security here because of the Iraqis.
They have said, ‘Enough with the violence. We want to get back to what we need to be doing and that is taking care of our families and providing for all the good people.’”
The 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., has been
deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 200
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