A.B. Won Pat International Airport Authority, Guam

This is one of the best training classes I’ve had!” stated Leslie P. Omans, instructor, of the recently concluded Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) Driver/Operator Course conducted by the A. B. Won Pat International Airport Authority, Guam’s (GIAA) Regional Aviation Training Academy (RATA). The one-week course ran from April 6th through the 10th for GIAA’s ARFF personnel and also welcomed airport firefighters from regional sister airports from the Republic of Palau and Pohnpei State of the Federated States of Micronesia.

Omans, an instructor from the University of California, Davis Campus comes with extensive experience and training certifications recognized by the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (NBFSPQ) Pro Board. This most recent course offered to fourteen (14) ARFF personnel was the ARFF Driver/Operator (NFPA 1002) Course. An additional valuable component of the course was the “Train-the-Trainer” course, wherein three (3) GIAA ARFF Driver/Operators also completed the course, enabling them the conduct the class. This allows for RATA to provide this course through our certified trainers, without having to send staff off-island for this specific training.

“We are extremely pleased with the caliber of training that GIAA’s been able to provide through RATA. We made commitment under our Board’s direction to develop a training branch that addressed our unique aviation and airport service needs. We’d like to continue to enhance and build our human resource capacity and we’re also proud to be a resource to our airport’s from the neighboring Micronesian islands,” stated Carlos H. Salas, GIAA Executive Manager.

Pictured L-R Front: Lewis Santos, Jeffrey Nededog, Frankie Perez, Kenny Atoigue, Carlos Salas, Michael Roberto, Cindy Toves-Corpuz, Maxi Elias-Pohnpei ARFF (kneeling), Alton Samsel-Palau ARFF, Willie Mauricio-Pohnpei ARFF, Edwin Kaulia, Gerard Bautista & Dan Stone.

Back: Randy Sablan, Brandon Aflague, Instructor Les Omans-UC Davis, Shane Rayfield-Navy Firefighter, Rudy Taimanglo & Michael Cuasito. All pictured above are from GIAA unless otherwise