City of Dover welcomes local firefighter home Published Jan. 16, 2009 By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace 436th AW Public Affairs DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- More than 20 City of Dover firefighters joined efforts with local police to welcome a Dover Air Force Base Airman home today. Senior Airman Derek Larson, 436th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter and a City of Dover volunteer fireman, was met at the Delaware-Maryland state line and escorted by a convoy of local public servants through downtown Dover, ending at Airman Larson's home. "I hear [Airman Larson] did some miraculous things over in Iraq," said Sean Christiansen, the City of Dover Fire Department deputy fire chief. "I am proud of what he's done and am sure glad to have him home safe." Airman Larson was deployed to Joint Base Balad, were he worked as a fire protection driver-operator with the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron. Like all firefighters, many days posed their challenges. Still, for Airman Larson, one particular day stood out like no other. One afternoon Airman Larson was called out to an entry control point and arrived to find two Iraqis with gunshot wounds. While some may need to assess the situation and seek advice, the training Airman Larson received back at Dover kicked in and he knew exactly what to do. He promptly began treating a neck wound with a dressing to avert air from entering the gunshot injury. The ECP response was not the only time Airman Larson found himself patching up wounded Iraqis. In a separate event, Airman Larson administered first aid to a 5-year-old Iraqi child, who suffered second-degree burns on his body. For someone in Airman Larson's line of work, risk and heroism just come with the job - it is part of what being a firefighter is all about, said Senior Master Sgt. Timothy Brown, Dover Air Force Base's fire chief. That's not to discount heroism - it is just a fact of life for firefighters. "Airman Larson is a fine Airman and a dedicated public servant," said Sergeant Brown. "He did his job over in Iraq and he did it well. Like every 436th CES firefighter, Airman Larson was cut from a breed of professionals, who step into harm's way every time they respond to a call." Dedication is not something unique to Dover AFB either, it is a common attribute of all Airmen, said Sergeant Brown. "Air Force wide, we have hundreds of committed firefighters deploying to support OEF and OIF each rotation," continued Sergeant Brown, who spent more than half of last year deployed to Ali Base, Iraq, and found himself outside the wire on rescue helicopter missions on several occasions. "I wish we could recognize each and every one of these heroes. They are just that - heroes. It takes a special class of person to voluntarily put their own well-being on the line to protect their community. Our Dover firefighters do this here every day."