Area Served[]
Altus Air Force Base, formerly Altus Army Airfield, is a United States Air Force base located approximately 4 miles east-northeast of the city of Altus in Jackson County in the southwestern corner of Oklahoma. "Altus" is a Latin word meaning "high" and it became the name of the original community of Frazer after its residents moved to higher ground as a result of a flash flood nearly destroying Frazer. The host unit at Altus AFB is the 97th Air Mobility Wing, assigned to the Nineteenth Air Force of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The primary mission of the 97th AMW is to provide specialized undergraduate pilot training (SUPT) to USAF and allied forces aircrew on KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-46 Pegasus aerial refuelling aircraft, as well as C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft. It also provides formal initial and advanced specialty training programs for up to 3,000 flight crew and aircraft maintenance students annually.
Department Profile[]
Aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF), structural firefighting, emergency medical services, hazmat response, technical rescue, explosive ordinance disposal, fire prevention and inspection for Altus AFB is provided by the 97th Civil Engineer Squadron / Altus AFB Fire and Emergency Services, a subordinate unit of the 97th Mission Support Group comprised of a mix of civilian and military firefighters. Additionally, the flight manages fire protection operations for aircraft operations at the Clinton-Sherman Auxiliary Field in Burns Flat, OK. The Altus AFB Fire and Emergency Services also provides mutual aid to 11 neighboring agencies.
History[]
Born out of the cotton fields of southwestern Oklahoma, Altus Army Airfield first became home to military aircraft and personnel in January 1943, training new pilots on multi-engine aircraft. With an average of over 300 days of weather favorable to flying each year, a generally flat landscape and few obstructions, the base was then and is still, ideally situated to be a perfect location for young airmen to hone their skills. Construction of the new base began in May 1942. At the end of hostilities in Europe, Altus AAF was slated for inactivation and on 15 May 1945 placed on temporary inactive status. The base, renamed Altus AFB after the September 1947 formation of the United States Air Force, would only sit idle for a few years as the onset of the Korean War in June 1950 created the need for more men to fly and service aircraft. Over the next five decades, Altus evolved to become the premier air mobility training location in the United States Air Force (USAF). Now, in the 21st century, the base continues to perform the basic mission it started in 1943, providing a safe, comfortable location to train military personnel on the intricacies of operating multi-engine aircraft.
Apparatus Roster[]
- All pump/tank measurements are in US gallons.
- US Government License Plate in brackets starting with AF# denoting US Air Force
Fire Station 1 - Flightline[]
Built 2011
Fire Station 2 - Midfield[]
Fire Station 3 - Ordnance Road[]
Station/Assignment Unknown[]
- Chief 1 (AF08B01440) - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
- Crash 3 (AF07L00386) - 2007 Oshkosh Striker 1500 4x4 crash tender (1500/1500/210F/500 lbs. DC/450 lbs. DC)
- Crash 5 (AF19L00037) - 2021 Rosenbauer Panther 6x6 P-23 crash tender (UHP/3000/423F/500 lbs. DC)
- Crash 6 - Oshkosh Striker 4500 8x8 crash tender (1950/4500/630F/1000 lbs. DC)
- Crash 7 - Ford F-550 / KME P-34 RIV (UHP/500/15A/56B)
- Crash 8 - Oshkosh Striker 4500 8x8 crash tender (1950/4500/630F/1000 lbs. DC)
- Rescue 9 (AF19L00244) - 2019 E-One Typhoon P-31 walk-around
- Engine 10 - International / Pierce interface
- Engine 11 (AF09L00045) - 2009 Pierce Saber P-22 (1250/750/25A/25B)
- Engine 12 - KME Excel P-24 4x4 (1250/750/50F)
- Tender 13 - P-26 6x6 elliptical (1250/5000)
- Tender 14 - Freightliner 6x6 wetside (1250/5000)
- Hazmat Support - 52' tractor-drawn walk-around trailer
Unknown Station / Assignment[]
- Oshkosh Striker 4500 8x8 crash tender (1950/4500/630F/1000 lbs. DC) (Ex-Crash 5)
Retired Apparatus[]
- 2004 Ford F-550 / Pierce Contender P-32 walk-around rescue (SN#14994-04369738) (Ex-Rescue 9)
- 1996 Pierce Arrow P-28 walk-around rescue (SN#E9696-05)
- Ford C-8000 / E-One P-12 pumper (750/600/30F) (Ex-Engine 40)
External Links[]
Altus Air Force Base Fire Emergency Services Facebook page