PHOTOS: Area Firefighters Participate in Aircraft Burn Drill

Area firefighters participated in a three-hour aircraft burn drill, sponsored by the 106th Air Rescue Wing at a remote location at Gabreski Airport over the last several days.

During the drill, firefighters from Westhampton Beach, East Quogue, Quogue, Eastport, Riverhead, Flanders and Mannorville — all have mutual aid agreements with the base — took turns to suit-up and battle two-story high flames that engulfed a mobile aircraft fire simulator, which resembles a 50-foot fuselage with damaged wings.

The simulator, which was supplied by the Kellogg Community College of Battle Creek, Michigan, was ignited using six hundred gallons of propane. In teams, firefighters worked to put out the flames, rescue "crew members" and "survivors" with one firefighter entering the burning aircraft to kill the engine, turn off the battery.

Chip Bancroft, chief of the Westhampton Beach Fire Department, said he was pleased with the training.

"Our members did a great job. Very professional. It was a great learning experience."

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