Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst -- It was predawn on July 5th when the smell of smoke engulfed Lt. Col. Drew Eisenhofer's senses during his routine morning jog around the 108th Wing. “The air smelled like fireworks or firecrackers,” said Eisenhofer, 204th Intelligence Squadron commander. "I was like, something is wrong here.”
As he jogged towards the wing’s headquarters and vehicle yard, he saw smoke. “The smoke became thicker as I moved closer to the vehicle yard,” said Eisenhofer. "At that time, you shouldn’t be seeing smoke. I walked into the yard. I looked around the truck, and there was clearly a fire.”
Moving to safety, Einsenhofer called the 108th Wing Command Post whose number he had memorized. "It was in the back of my mind that this needed to be reported right away or there will be major damage," said Eisenhofer. The 108th Command Post is one of several 24-hour agencies on Joint Base McGuire Dix-Lakehurst that can handle emergency situations. “They have countless checklists for every situation you can encounter,” said Einsenhofer. “If there is something that you think needs to be reported, just report it. If nothing happens that’s fine, but in a situation like this they can be the ones to let you know.”
Command post took the call and acted swiftly. “I heard multiple sirens,” said Eisenhofer. “It seemed like all the first responders converged in a couple of minutes. By the time they arrived, it was a pretty big inferno going on.”
Eisenhofer’s familiarity with his location made for a smooth handover. However, in similar situations, that is not always the case. Many people become disjointed and have difficulty relaying where they are.
The JB MDL Fire and Emergency Services Assistant Chief Scott Stavely advises everyone to call 911 for emergencies on and off base. “The protocol is always 911,” said Stavely. “911 calls on base are picked up by the emergency communications center here. We can pinpoint your exact location using nearby cell towers.”
A recent survey on base concluded that many individuals do not have a confident grasp on how to respond to emergencies while on base, although most respondents did say 911 would be their first choice. For those looking for additional education, Master Sgt. Stanley Tarasewicz, 108th CES Emergency Management Program Manager, recommends that everyone subscribe to the JB MDL Emergency Management Monthly. The newsletter provides the most up-to-date emergency management information, in addition to protocols on how to report a fire or other major incidents on base. The periodicals can be easily accessed via the 108th Wing's virtual bulletin board, said Tarasewicz.
The fire caused an estimated $62,000 worth of vehicle damage. At first, the dollar amount may seem jarring, but a later assessment concluded the incident could have resulted in a much greater loss if it were not for the quick actions of Lt. Col Eisenhofer and the professional and timely response of the 108th Command Post and JB MDL first responders, said Stavely.