KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

The members of the Tullahoma Fire Department got a unique opportunity to participate in a controlled burn exercise Thursday where they utilized a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.

The firefighters gathered at the Tullahoma Regional Airport Thursday at around noon and met with members of XP Services, including President and CEO Rod Allison, as they went over the burn exercise they were conducting.

While the majority of fires that would require a helicopter to take down are out west in states like California, Allison said training with the fire department with the exercise would be helpful to both the community, and this side of the state.

“We have this capability and to help this community or this part of the state,” he said. “We can see what we can do.”

The turnaround to set up the exercise was within a week as Allison reached out to the fire department to set everything up.

As for the exercise, members of the fire department traveled across the airfield and set up a controlled fire with emergency vehicles on stand-by. Meanwhile, across the airfield firemen filled the 750-gallon water tank in the helicopter, and took to the air to put out the fire. The helicopter made four passes where it dispensed the full 750 gallons before going to refill.

“This was a great collaboration to make happen between XP Services, the fire department and the city of Tullahoma,” Fire Marshal Nick Kimbro said. “To test this firefighting helicopter, it’s something us in the structural world do get to train or experience a whole lot when comes to aircraft and firefighting.”

Kimbro added the exercise was a great experience for their structural firefighters to see how the equipment operated, and said the exercise was a success.

“It was a great job with all parties involved, and on behalf of the city of Tullahoma we really appreciate the invitation to assist in the exercise,” Kimbro said. 

Allison felt the same way and said XP Services is always looking for different ways to help save the community in case things go bad, whether it’s the fire department working with them or vice versa.

“We appreciate the support of the community,” he said, “Tullahoma is a great community.”