One-strike firefighting capability
Published: 01 July, 2008
Dallas Forth Worth is one of the largest airports in the US. It therefore requires a first line of attack that is able to respond within three minutes. Ann-Marie Knegt interviewed Jessie Gentry, Division Commander Fire Operations, about the new firefighting giants that were recently acquired by the airport.
Everything is bigger in Texas,” is a stereo typical expression. However, in this case it is true for Dallas Forth Worth Airport, which is classified under the American airport classification system as Index E (ICAO Cat. 10), meaning it can receive the largest type of aircraft and even the Airbus A380. An airport this size needs considerable firefighting and extinguishing power, and therefore Jessie Gentry, Division Commander Fire Operations for Dallas Forth Worth Airport in Texas, USA, recently received eight brand new Oshkosh Striker 4500 (8X8) vehicles, of which two are equipped with a Snozzle extendible turret.
“After carrying out extensive research, we chose the Striker 4500 model over the Striker 3000 (3,000 gallons), because the 4500 apparatus has more water carrying capability (4,500 gallons). We did some test drives on the 3000 and the 4500 and found that there was very little difference in acceleration, and that the 4500 is just as fast,” explains Commander Gentry.
The Striker vehicles carry 4,500 gallons of water, 530 gallons AFFF foam and 480 pounds of dry-chemical powder, making this type of vehicle a real extinguishing giant.
The Fire Rescue Division Fleet Management team, tested out all extinguishing agents at the Oshkosh manufacturing site located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin before acquiring the vehicles. Dry chemical had been used in the past as well as Halotron, however the decision was made to move forward with dry chemical powder as the agent of choice to support the water and AFFF. Hydrochem nozzles provide the capability to discharge all three agents adding versatility to the extinguishing capabilities. Two smaller rapid intervention vehicles with tri-agent capabilities are part of the first line of attack as well.
On the bumper of the Striker, a high volume, low attack bumper turret is attached with a capacity of either 600 or 1,200 GPM. On the Snozzle itself, the elevated tip nozzle has a 500 GPM flow rate and it elevates to 65 foot. The penetrating nozzle is four foot long and can flow up to 250 GPM and it swings into place when required.
“It flows in a 360 degree circle, and reaches in a 40 foot diameter,” adds Commander Gentry.
“We installed a thermal imaging camera, a video camera and a colour camera. Normally departments install one or the other on the tip of the Snozzle. We opt to go with all three to provide a wide range of views. This configuration allows for multiple uses such as maneuvering the tip of the Snozzle in a cargo haul. We want to be able to review the situation with the thermal imager, and identify where the hotspot is. This is an excellent resource reducing the risk for firefighters.
“All the thermal imaging and all the other images recorded can be downloaded with a USB, after which we utilise the recorded images in training scenarios.”
Divided over the airport, there are five stations of which four have two stationed Strikers, enabling the authority to meet the Index E requirements, which specify that the first unit is required to respond within three minutes from any location at the airport, and all the other units within four minutes.
The Striker 4500 cab offers space for three firefighters, but Dallas Forth Worth usually just has the driver operating the vehicle, because at each of the stations there is a structural unit, either a quint or a truck company with four personnel in each of those vehicles, which responds in conjunction with the crash tender. Commander Gentry explains that all the responding members of personnel have been trained in ARFF. They respond in the structural unit from which they dismount and then respond with the crash tender.
Mutual aid
“The municipal fire department backs up our ARFF team in case of a major event, and in order for our mutual aid agreement to work well, we have established predetermined staging areas at the four fire stations on the airfield. This provides for an organised means of controlling access to the airfield and to maintain an organised approach to mitigating the incident. Partnering mutual aid departments are aware of the plan,” explains Gentry.
The Federal Aviation Authority requires the airport fire authority to carry out a live drill to evaluate the airport’s emergency plan every three years. Joint training exercises occur periodically as well with partnering mutual aid departments to carry out a range of aircraft related training classes, including aircraft familiarisation, escorts (how to carry these out once you get into the airfield). However, the municipal department gives training classes that the airport firefighters don’t necessarily see every day, such as structural and high-rise firefighting.
Dallas Forth Worth has a designated training field with specially assigned instructors. It features a 150 ft diameter pit, with a mock-up of a Boeing 737 and what Gentry calls a SAFT (specialised aircraft firefighting trainer). This is a propane ARFF simulator which is based on a DC 10 and it can simulate cab fires, cockpit fires, lavatory fires and engine fires. At the training field there is also a high-rise building with a tower, where the firefighters carry out hotel and warehouse fire training.
Dallas Forth Worth Airport’s fire authority has two Boeing 727 aircraft, which have been donated to practise on with the Snozzle among other exercises such as interior fire fighting and ventilation.
“Using the Snozzle is not as straightforward as it might seem to some,” continues Gentry. “It is a complex piece of equipment that requires hours of training. The operators conduct practical training and training with simulators, which are located within the fire stations. Firefighting operations in general require an orchestrated approach among teams. It is no different when approaching an aircraft and utilising the Snozzle during a piercing operation.
“You have to synchronise the penetration while conducting rescue of all passengers and ventilation of the aircraft. Piercing of the aircraft is conducted from within the cab of the Striker and is dependent upon the strategy of the firefighting operation. Although there are several areas that can be pierced, above the windows are generally the location of choice as there is a reduced risk of penetrating any on-board fuels lines, etc. Fortunately, our Snozzle have only been utilised for training. Doing so, we have discovered that it is an excellent tool for cargo fires, because it means there is no need for personnel to enter the cargo haul of the aircraft during the initial fire attack. A high flow nozzle is located at the tip of the lance, and instead of piercing the aircraft we drop the cargo door open and apply foam or dry chemical powder, depending on the type of fire.”
Gentry adds that the Snozzle provides the capability to knock the fire down or even reach the seat of the fire reducing the risk of endangering the firefighters. “Cargo fires are just a whole other beast, because the cargo could contain a whole range of unknowns,” he comments.
The most common type of aircraft event is called an Alert 2. DFW Airport Fire rescue encounters an average 20 Alert 2’s each month. An Alert 2 can be defined as a potential incident involving an aircraft. This is a wide range from cockpit indicator warnings to a report of smoke in the cockpit. Overheated undercarriages are also very common, and for that specific purpose the Airport Fire Authority acquired a giant Tempest PPV fan, 60 inch in diameter. Gentry and his team mounted this on the back of a truck and the fan now elevates 18 feet in the air and has a 360-degree swivelling head. In addition to providing positive pressure ventilation on aircraft and structures, the fan has a misting ring that can be utilised to conduct mass decontamination of victims.
Emergency air stairs have existed for several years within the aircraft industry and have now become an essential part of equipment for the ARFF firefighter.
“Our air stairs – made by Access Air in Montreal, Canada – has definitely become a main tool in our arsenal. The apparatus is housed in one of the airfield stations and staffed by Fire Rescue personnel. It responds to all aircraft incidents and is valuable in the deplaning of passengers on the ramp. The stairs once in position provide for an interior attack operation as well making for a safer entry for all fire fighting personnel. The positive pressure fan can be utilised in conjunction with the interior operation to clear the way for fire personnel fighting the fire. The current air stairs will not reach the top section of the Airbus A380, but it does reach up to the lower section. However, it works very well for us and we have used it in multiple incidents to include medical emergencies,” explains Gentry.
The air stairs particularly has its use in incidents where rapid and easy access to the plane is required, for instance, when someone has a heart attack, but the aircraft is not connected to the terminal gateway.
According to Captain Gentry, the popularity of the emergency air stairs is increasing, and there are all types of configurations available, even discussions of ARFF apparatus with air stairs mounted on the back.
Dallas Forth Worth Airport Fire Authority is committed to spreading the know-how and experience it has collected over the years and therefore ARFF firefighters from all over South America come to Dallas to do valuable training.
“We have had firefighters from Jamaica, Costa Rica, Mexico, Guatemala, and all over Latin America to come and train with us. They are here to use our facilities and they use our vehicles. Many of them don’t have Strikers, but similar vehicles. Also we have a trained team of professionals that can go off airport for clients that want to use their own equipment.”
Gentry has been at Dallas Forth Worth Airport for sixteen years, but has not had to deal with any major incidents there. “The worst incident that I witnessed was an incident in 2005 in Toronto, where an Airbus came in slid of the runway and caught fire. He was there as part of the DFW Airport Go-Team. DFW Airport established a Go-Team years ago which consists of one Fire Supervisor, one Police Supervisor, and one Airfield Operations Supervisor. Other airports such as Boston-Logan have deployed teams for years as well and the Go-Team concept continues to spread and be adopted nationwide.”
The objective for this team is to observe and take notes on the overall operation, ranging from incident management all the way down to how the aircraft was recovered. “The primary purpose of this system is to gather information,” emphasises Commander Gentry. “The purpose is to gain understanding of their operations, so we can compare it to our emergency plan to validate our procedures and to identify the areas that we can improve on. I think this system has many benefits and all the major airports (Index E) in the US have Go-teams. It is very fortunate that we have few and far between incidents, but when they do occur we learn from them.”
