MASTER CORPORAL ARON LEHTINEN
MASTER CORPORAL CHUCK MATHEWS
On Wednesday, 4 June 2003, Master Corporal's Lehtinen and Mathews were standing outside the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) facility in Comox. There was a fully loaded Operation Noble Eagle Hornet in each of the four hangar bays. An air sovereignty alert practice scramble start involving two aircraft was in progress when Master Corporal Lehtinen heard the auxiliary power unit (APU) on one jet cut out shortly after the #1 engine began to turn over. He proceeded into the hangar and saw the technician in the 'man one' position signalling the pilot that there was a fire. Initially he suspected that the APU was 'torching', as is often the case in situations of early APU shutdown followed by a quick restart attempt, however he soon noticed that the entire underside of the tail section was in flames. At this point, the pilot abandoned the aircraft and moved a safe distance outside of the hangar. Master Corporal Lehtinen and Master Corporal Mathews immediately rolled a portable fire extinguisher to the rear of the involved aircraft. Master Corporal Mathews energized the extinguisher and remained in position to ensure Master Corporal Lehtinen's safety. Master Corporal Lehtinen aggressively fought the fire, which was burning just behind two AIM-7 missiles, until it was extinguished. He then ran to and climbed the boarding ladder to the cockpit. Quickly he shut down the restarted APU and turned off the master power switch to ensure that there would be no re-ignition of the fire. By this time, base fire fighting units arrived and inspected the aircraft to ensure there were no internal fires and no chance of a flare-up.
In disregard of their own safety, Master Corporal's Lehtinen and Mathews' instinctive response in a critical situation prevented the possible destruction of one or more CF18 aircraft as well as the potential loss of life or serious injury of the fifteen other personnel manning the QRA. These two individuals are commended for their outstanding display of bravery, quick thinking and decisive action.
Master Corporal Aron Lehtinen and Master Corporal Chuck Mathews serve with 441 Tactical Fighter Squadron, 4 Wing Cold Lake.
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