Airman in the Spotlight: Senior Airman Adam Souza

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Patrick McKenna
  • 102nd Intelligence Wing Public Affairs
Security Forces Airmen are constantly training for any number of scenarios they may encounter while performing their missions. These defenders are always on guard, ready to respond quickly to threats to their installation, its servicemembers and families. However, stressful situations can occur anywhere, anytime, whether on or off duty. One 102 SFS Airmen found himself in such a situation as he was driving home from training with two other defenders.

Senior Airman Adam Souza, a native of New Bedford, Mass., had just left Ft. Devens, Mass. April 1 after completing a bi-annual weapons qualification. Souza was commuting with two other 102 SFS members, Senior Airman Jonathan Estrella and Airman 1st Class Richard Tingley, when they came upon a family, a father and his two young daughters, who had pulled to the side of the road after their vehicle exhaust started a fire on the side of the road. The fire was spreading quickly toward the wood line, due to high winds and dry conditions.

Souza activated his emergency lights, pulled over and took charge of the situation while the other two Airmen moved the family and their vehicle away from the fire, and called the Norton Fire Dept. Souza, a firefighter/EMT in Dartmouth, Mass., quickly put on his firefighter personal protective equipment and a fire extinguisher from his vehicle and began fighting the fire. Souza, along with a Norton Fire captain, were able to control the fire before it reached the wood line, preventing what could have escalated into an even more dangerous situation.

Souza joined the 102nd Intelligence Wing in 2008 after a serving in the Army as both an infantry and field artillery soldier.

When he's not performing his firefighter duties or performing his 102 SFS mission, Souza spends his time with his young daughter Aubrey Elizabeth and his girlfriend, Samantha.