Preparedness of Non-ARFF Municipal Crews Responding to Aircraft Accidents

Indianapolis firefighters train on ARFF response

By MADELINE R. CASPER

The hazards surrounding aircraft accidents are somewhat unique and can present challenges to responding municipal firefighters who are not specially trained in aircraft rescue and firefighting techniques. Fire departments adjacent to these airports may not be trained in proper procedures to respond to aircraft accidents safely and effectively. The aim of the following research is to develop a training program proposal on aircraft crash response for municipal firefighters stationed within 10 miles of an airport.

Following are the main research questions of this study:

What information is currently available to firefighters regarding general aviation aircraft and airports?
What are the current best practices for firefighters responding to aircraft crashes?
What information should be included in an ideal training program?

Scope

This research focuses on fire departments within a 10-mile radius of any airport (private, municipal, or commercial) because that is where most aircraft-related accidents are likely to occur. The scope of the research focuses on all airports that do not have their own on-site aircraft rescue firefighting (ARFF) departments but instead rely on local municipal fire departments for emergency response.

Municipal firefighters respond to more than just fires and may be called to respond to an airport for general medical emergencies. However, responding to a medical emergency at an airport is similar to responding to a medical emergency at any other given location. Therefore, the focus of this research is solely on aircraft-specific incidents, which require responder interaction with the aircraft itself when rescuing victims or extinguishing fires.

Background

Aircraft accidents typically occur within the first and last 15 minutes of flight, meaning incidents are more likely to occur near airports. At the same time, 15 minutes away from an airport by plane could be close to 10 miles, which is out of the range of the ARFF crews that specialize in and train to deal with aircraft incidents. Therefore, firefighters not specialized in aircraft incident response end up being the primary responders to situations about which they may not be sufficiently knowledgeable.

Aircraft involve unique structures, hazardous materials, explosive parachute devices, and weapon systems (military aircraft) and are often capable of exhibiting different fire behaviors. These hazards make them different from structural fires and automotive accidents that are normal responses for municipal firefighters. More often than not, municipal firefighters are the main initial responders to aircraft incidents because roughly 15,000 small airports, helipads, and other takeoff and landing sites rely exclusively on their local fire departments for responses in the event of an aircraft crash or fire.

This article will highlight the issue of firefighter preparedness and make recommendations for improved regulations, training, and overall preparedness by airports and their local fire departments. The secondary goal is to propose a consolidated document of key information necessary for this type of incident response.

Limitations

There are few regulations in place regarding the aircraft response training for firefighters, and the training is left up to the discretion of individual airports and fire departments. Gaining access to individual fire department standard operating procedures (SOPs) is a limitation of the research. It is assumed and expected that fire departments and airports have the most recent information, but access to it for the purposes of this research is limited. The study is purposely constrained by the idea that fire departments farther than 10 miles away from an airport do not have the same need for the additional training. Although it is not impossible for an accident to occur outside of the 10-mile range, it is statistically unlikely compared with areas within 10 miles of an airport.

Another boundary of the research is that it focuses on the response to aircraft both on and off airport property. Finally, the research focuses on only situations involving first responder interaction with an aircraft, excluding general medical emergencies that may occur on airport property.

Methodology

Action research is the identification of a problem and then using research to determine a solution to that identified problem. Here, action research was used as the guiding methodology of this research. The problem identified is there is a lack of sufficient training and preparedness for first responders to respond safely and effectively to aircraft accidents. Information was gathered from scholarly literary sources and regulatory agencies that have authority over the fire departments and airports involved.

After collection of the scholarly sources, regulations, and agency SOPs, the information was analyzed and consolidated to yield conclusions and recommendations to propose actions for solving the overarching problem. In this case, the proposal of an improved training program as well as recommending increased accessibility to guiding documents are the actions that could address the problem.

Training Requirements

Across the regulatory agencies, there are few regulations or requirements for the training of non-ARFF municipal firefighters regarding aircraft hazards. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has some recommendations for emergency responders, but there is no specific requirement backing those recommendations.

The FAA developed a training program that is available for use by emergency responders, but it is unclear to whom it was distributed, other than being made available by search on the Web site. This is critical; although the programs may be available and generally comprehensive, when it is left to the discretion of the individual fire departments to seek out this information, it is unlikely it will have as great an impact.

Aircraft Hazards

Although designed for the highest level of safety, aircraft are hazardous by nature, and many of those hazards are present to emergency responders after an incident has occurred. Hazards include variations in confined space, fuel types, ballistic parachute systems, aircraft types, and differences in the composition of airframe structures, among others. Structural firefighters are trained in confined space entry, but there are specific differences involved with entry into aircraft fuselages vs. entry into a building.

Additional hazards lie in the aircraft types and special manufacturer-designed mechanisms that pose great threats to responders. Harriman et. al. (2009) discussed the hazard of the increase in light jets. Light jets pose different hazards compared to other smaller aircraft and thus pose different threats to firefighters responding. As they become more common and have abilities to land at small airports that do not have dedicated ARFF, municipal firefighters must be aware of the additional hazards involved as well as the higher level of response needed for an incident involving a light jet. Given the complexities in design, aircraft hazards come in many forms. Awareness of some of these systems and associated hazards is crucial for a safer response for the responders.

Off-Airport Incidents

It is more common for an aircraft in flight to have an issue resulting in an accident off airport property than on airport property. Ninety-five percent of aircraft crashes happen within 10 miles of an airport, occurring during the first phase of flight, takeoff, or the final phase of flight and landing. Accidents involving aircraft on departure involve more postcrash fires; the closer to takeoff an accident occurs, the more fuel will probably be onboard the aircraft. Alternatively, for an accident involving an arriving aircraft or an aircraft far from an airport, the lower the chance of fire but it is not impossible, as it is standard procedure for many pilots to bring more fuel than their flight requires. For this reason, all responders should treat any wing as if it has fuel in it.

Responding to an aircraft accident scene away from the airport would significantly reduce the access to ARFF resources (if there would have been any in the first place). As in other vehicular accidents, firefighters would have to contend with not only the aircraft but any object, persons, or structures impacted by the aircraft such as cars, houses, and so on. This collision with other objects introduces additional sources of fuel for a potential fire.

Another factor to consider is the presence of the public, either as victims or persons trying aid in the response. This could cause issues for the responders if the aircraft is improperly handled before the arrival of fire crews.

All the hazards associated with aircraft in general apply, no matter where the aircraft crash site is located. When a crash occurs off airport, all the normal hazards presented by structures are also present, making them somewhat more complex to respond to than if it had occurred on the airport itself.

On-Airport Incidents

When responding to incidents on airport properties, there are added obstacles that could hinder firefighters from performing as effectively without additional knowledge or training, as many facets of airports are unfamiliar to municipal firefighters. These additional obstacles include difficulty navigating the grounds; poor lighting; lack of access to water; and, depending on the airport, the runways could still be active at the time of response and there is a possibility that there is no control tower on the premises. These additional obstacles are separate from the already additional differences of responding to an aircraft vs. responding to an automobile accident or a structure fire.

In the case of an aircraft accident occurring at a controlled airport, if air traffic controllers (ATCs) are present, they call 911 and simultaneously redirect air traffic away from the airport. The 911 dispatcher then assigns the closest crew to respond to the scene and, through the operator, the asset is given the control tower frequency and directed by the tower to the crash location to take control of the scene on arrival.

If an accident occurs outside of tower operating hours and the fire department is dispatched, there are more obstacles involved. Given the unlit nature of airport property, fire personnel will have to find their way to the crash site without direction, and the runways will still be live.

Another factor to consider as a firefighter entering airport property, in the day or night, is that there are no fire hydrants in the airfield. This means that any water brought on the truck is what is available. Should the responders be coming directly from another scene, they may not have their full capacity of resources, and it could be an undetermined amount of time before reinforcements arrive.

Part 139 commercial airports are mandated by the FAA to have higher safety and emergency preparedness standards than general aviation airports, as they are the backbone of the air transportation system. Specifically, according to the FAA, the defining features of a part 139 airport include the accommodation of both scheduled and unscheduled air carrier aircraft with greater than 30 seats, as well as all scheduled air carrier aircraft with greater than nine and less than 31 seats. Some of the most significant standards part 139 airports must adhere to include creating and maintaining an Airport Emergency Plan, maintaining an ARFF program based on aircraft types and flight frequencies, and performing annual tabletop drills and full-scale triennial exercises based on airport classification. To maintain part 139 certification, each airport is inspected by the FAA on an annual basis to determine compliance with the standards.

Although Part 139 commercial airports are required to have ARFF units on airport property, not all airports have such a requirement. Although some airports have city fire departments located on or close by their property, it does not guarantee that those firefighters are trained in the specifics of responding to an aircraft.

For example, New Smyrna (FL) Municipal Airport features a fire station that leases land from the airport, and the physical building is located on the other side of the fence at the end of the airfield. Firefighters have their own gate through which they can enter the property should there be an accident, but they are not classified as ARFF. The firefighters in the area undergo annual familiarization training with the airport grounds. However, as the station is not dedicated to the airport, prioritization goes to the city. Therefore, if the crew of that station is engaged at a separate emergency and there is an incident at the airport, a different crew will respond. This other crew would not necessarily have the same level of airport familiarization as the fire crew stationed on airport property.

Although it may seem like there are fewer hazards to first responders should an aircraft crash occur at an airport because there is no public access, no automotive traffic with which to contend, and plenty of space, there are different challenges. For those not familiar with airport layouts, especially if ATCs are either not present or not operating at the time of the accident, navigating the airfield could be difficult. Furthermore, if something does occur at an uncontrolled airfield or outside of ATC hours, the runways will still be active. If an accident occurs at the airport, any incoming aircraft should be able to see this and avert its direction, but that is not always the case, and it cannot be assumed that any incoming pilot will see the accident and make that decision to divert course. Familiarizing responders with these differences when responding to an unfamiliar environment can only be beneficial.

Aircraft accidents are not common, but being prepared to deal with them is important. Of all operating aircraft, most are noncommercial general aviation flights. Given the higher number of flights compared to commercial flights, if an accident occurs, it is more likely than not going to involve a GA aircraft. These aircraft, while not having the high occupant load of the commercial carriers, still have many unique hazards associated with them. For first responders in the vicinity of an airport, being trained; having access to the most critical, relevant information; and being familiar with aircraft and airport response prior to a response is crucial for increasing the odds of a better outcome in the event of a crash.

Hazards surrounding the aircraft such as potential of a ballistic parachute device, different structures, varying engine controls, and variations in access mechanisms all present potentially dangerous conditions for first responders and aircraft occupants. At the same time, navigation and orientation, a lack of supplies, other air traffic, and delays between air traffic control and dispatch are all hazards to first responders when responding to incidents on airport property.

Every hazard first responders face surrounding aircraft and airports creates the need for better training. Although some airports operate ARFF and some fire stations regularly stay familiar with the nearby airport layouts and aircraft types, these are the exceptions to the rule. There is no requirement for ARFF training of municipal firefighters not stationed at ARFF-designated stations, and there is no requirement to operate ARFF stations on non-Part 139 airports. As identified by some of the oldest found documentation in the literature review as well as by current personnel in the field today, a more robust and standardized training for non-ARFF firefighters would only be beneficial.

Recommendations

Although aircraft accident response training for community fire and emergency medical services departments usually takes place at the crash site, with a proactive stance, there are steps all relevant parties can take to improve preparedness. From regulators to airport managers to municipal fire departments, it is possible to be more prepared for an aircraft accident in the vicinity of airports.

Currently, there are few to no regulations requiring specific training for firefighters regarding aircraft accidents. Similarly, there are also few regarding the emergency preparedness at smaller airports. Given the lack of standardized requirements, each airport and fire department are managed differently, and their emergency preparedness is subject to change from location to location. Some small airports have ARFF despite the lack of requirements, while others have limited communication with the fire departments. This creates risks in locations that do not prioritize the emergency response to aircraft accidents. Similarly, some fire departments are very prepared for the possibility of an aircraft accident in their district, while others lack training and resources despite being located close to an airport.

Implementing regulations on the state or federal level by the FAA, the National Fire Protection Association, or a combination of the two would improve the preparedness of fire departments located within 10 miles of any airport. The regulations could require the completion of an online training program similar to the one produced by the FAA titled First Responder Safety at a Small Aircraft or Helicopter Accidents. Other potential requirements could include participation in an aircraft response drill and/or requiring access to aircraft response-specific guidebooks onboard all fire trucks within 10 miles of an airport.

From an airport manager’s perspective, given the overall lack of regulations, there are recommendations that might improve the safety and emergency preparedness for their facilities. To ensure that the expectations of the emergency response are being met, guarantee good communications with the fire chief, which includes significant changes to the amount of air traffic and the type of aircraft operating at the airport as well as any construction or additional hazards at the airport. Simultaneously, also maintain an understanding of the benefits of what fire departments are capable of in terms of response equipment. Finally, as the airport manager is responsible for organizing response drills on property (tabletop, full-scale, or some version in between), coordinate with the fire department to ensure participation.

Just as there are no regulations for the emergency preparedness for small airports, there are also few for municipal firefighters on the topic as well; if they so choose, fire departments can dedicate additional time and resources to training on this. It is not the same across the board. Even without the regulations to back it, fire departments should familiarize themselves with their local airport, the common types of aircraft, and aircraft hazards, specifically if they are within that 10-mile radius of an airport.

Beyond additional training, making guiding resources available such as an aircraft accident checklist could make the response more effective rather than going in blind to a scene. By keeping a checklist in the glovebox of every fire apparatus that’s within 10 miles of an airport, no matter which asset is called to respond, some information will be available, regardless of the amount of previous training received by the personnel. The checklist should include radio frequencies of the air traffic control tower, a grid map of the airport, the “do’s and don’ts” of aviation crash response, the hierarchy of on-scene command, and which department to call if first on scene. Although there should be some level of training for firefighters who work in the vicinity of an airport, this checklist would serve as a backup and refresher of the most important and crucial information.

In addition to physical resources and training, fire departments should ensure they are communicating frequently with the airport managers to stay up to date on airport hazards, changes in air traffic patterns, and an awareness in changes to available response equipment. If a fire station acquires an ARFF truck, ARFF trained personnel, or any other aircraft response equipment, that information might be pertinent to an airport manager’s emergency response plan, if there is one in place.

With or without the presence of regulations, there are multiple ways in which both airports and fire departments can work together to ensure increased preparedness for the possibility of a crash, on or off airport property. Communication between airport managers and fire departments is almost as crucial as the physical guide documents and training for firefighters.

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MADELINE R. CASPER is the environmental health and safety specialist for Pegasus Aviation Services, a ground handling company based in Anchorage, Alaska. She graduated with a master’s degree in emergency services from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and focuses her career on safety in aviation.