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SUPPLEMENTAL ARFF REFERENCE & UPDATE INFORMATION

 

ARFF / AVIATION FIRE PROTECTION REFERENCE LIBRARY PAGES


PIONEERS WITH INTENT - MEMOIRS OF AN AIR FORCE FIRE FIGHTER - By Douglas E. Courchane
(5.75 MB - Takes A Few Minutes To Download)


USAF AIRCRAFT EMERGENCY RESPONSE DOCUMENT MOVES TO NEW WEB SITE (UPDATED 01/15/2008)

The U.S. Air Force technical document TO 00-105E-9, “Aerospace Emergency Rescue and Mishap Response Information (Emergency Services),” has been relocated to a new web site. 

Aimed at fire protection and support organizations, both military and civilian, the document provides general information about hazardous materials found in air- and spacecraft, as well as specific information about military, Civil Reserve Air Fleet, NATO and NASA aircraft. More than 300 aircraft are covered, including information about entry and exit facilities, forcible entry, prevention of suffocation, removing people from seats, and ejection seats.

All users with “dot mil” and “dot gov” addresses can self-register in less than five minutes at using this link: http://www.dodffcert.com/00-105E-9/index.cfm   This also includes other non-military emergency personnel.

 


THE DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN OF A PROTOTYPE ULTRA HIGH PRESSURE P-19 FIREFIGHTING VEHICLE


FAA has released AC 150/5220-10D, Guide Specification for ARFF Vehicles (.pdf). Among the changes: it incorporates AC 150/5220-19, Guide Specification for Small, Dual Agent ARFF Vehicles.

See the responses to industry comments regarding this documents proposed amendments:
Responses to Industry Comments on AC 150/5220-10D (PDF)


NTSB has released the recommendation letter (.pdf) stemming from the investigation into the Feb. 7, 2006 UPS DC-8 accident at PHL.


AIRPORT LEGISLATIVE ALLIANCE 'ACTION ALERT' - AIRCRAFT RESCUE & FIREFIGHTER STANDARDS

View Airport  Coalition Letter sent to Congressional Leaders 

Minimum IAFF Proposed Number of ARFF Vehicles / Staff by Airport 


USAF Fire Station Design Guide (Acrobat)


Air Accidents Investigation Branch (UK)
Aircraft Accidents - Guidance for Police and Emergency Services 2007


Pandemic Influenza: What First Responders Need To Know (An On-Line Training Course)


Senator Lautenberg's Special Report: "An Accident Waiting to Happen: Over Half of American's Airports Have Runways that Fail to Meet FAA Standards"
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data, 325 major U.S. airports have at least one runway that fails to meet the agency's standards for aircraft overrun protection. This represents over half of the country's 573 major commercial airports.


Check out SEAT GURU for U.S. airline aircraft seat configurations, a great resource for ARFF.  Be sure to check it out before you book any seat on any U.S. airline aircraft. You can save yourself some unexpected surprises.


F.A.A. FEDERAL AIR REGULATION PART 139 UPDATE OF ARFF REQUIREMENTS  INFORMATION

 NTSB AIR ACCIDENT REPORT - FedEx MD-10, Memphis Tennessee - December 18, 2003


AmSafe Aviation Inflatable Restraint (AAIR®) - First-Responder Reference Guide 


FAA POSITION ON 2-IN / 2-OUT

Following recent FAA proposed changes in ARFF regulations and guidelines, the FAA has summarized comments received from the public at large, as well as industry stakeholders. Most notable is the FAA response to comments focused on 29 CFR 1901.134 respiratory protection compliance requirements.

Comment Received: Several commenters note that the FAA and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have different standards for the number of personnel required for ARFF. Specifically, commenters questioned the applicability of the "two-in/two-out" policy contained in the Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134) to aircraft fire fighting scenarios. This standard requires that fire fighters engaged in fighting interior structural fires work in a buddy system with at least two workers outside in case a rescue of the fire fighters inside is needed. Commenters state that this standard would require them to hire additional personnel.

FAA Response: The FAA disagrees. The OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard does not require certificate holders to hire more ARFF personnel than normally would be required to comply with part 139. In a legal memorandum developed jointly by the FAA and OSHA (dated July 7,1999) and placed in the docket, it was determined that the respiratory standard is applicable only to personnel fighting a fire within a structure and not an outside aircraft fire. As the primary purpose of ARFF personnel is to suppress the external aircraft fire and to establish an escape route for the aircraft crew and passengers, the "two-in/two-out" rule does not apply to ARFF."

While the FAA and OSHA have provided this joint response to the “two-in/two-out” issue, the IAFF maintains that any fire fighters who are expected to work in a hazardous atmosphere should do so following 29 CFR 1910.134 requirements. Should fire fighters be forced into a situation where they must approach an aircraft to affect rescue in any kind of hazardous atmosphere, there should be adequate resources available to rescue those personnel should an emergency occur.

As many ARFF responders also provide structural fire suppression and rescue services, they would, in those cases, be required to follow any and all applicable hazardous atmosphere safety operations regulations. The bottom line: if you are operating with SCBA equipment, you should have personnel standing by to assist you in the event of an emergency.


National Incident Management System (NIMS)

The development and release of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) is a direct result of Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-5, issued in February 2003. HSPD-5 directed the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop, submit for review to the Homeland Security Council and administer a National Incident Management System. HSPD-5 states that a common incident management system is needed to provide “a consistent nationwide template to enable federal, state, local, tribal governments, private-sector and nongovernmental organizations to effectively and efficiently prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from domestic incidents, regardless of cause, size or complexity, including acts of catastrophic terrorism.”

NIMS was released in March 2004 and came with several guidelines. For example, in order to receive future federal grants, jurisdictions are required to adopt NIMS in Fiscal Year 2005. While many airports may not receive federal grants for ARFF, it is expected that surrounding jurisdictions may. Those responders are likely in the process of becoming NIMS compliant. Therefore, a prudent thought is that operations involving off-airport agencies will require that all players speak the same language -- NIMS. As a special note, all federal departments and agencies are required to adopt and implement NIMS in their domestic incident management activities.

NIMS is not an incident command system, though ICS is part of the NIMS Command and Management component. The other components of NIMS are Preparedness, Resource Management, Communications and Information Management, Supporting Technologies, and Ongoing Management and Maintenance. Online training in NIMS awareness is currently available, and additional training programs are being developed. IS-700, NIMS, An Introduction, is currently available as an online program and materials are available to teach it in a classroom setting. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have developed an online source for NIMS information, the NIMS Integration Center, that provides information and tools for NIMS and the National Response Plan at THIS LINK.

http://www.robins.af.mil/logistics/LGEDA/documents/to00-105E-9.htm


BOEING AIRCRAFT SERVICE LETTER - AVOID USE OF DRY CHEMICAL EXTINGUISHERS ON AIRPLANES (AUGUST 16, 2005)


Airbus A380 Crash Rescue Information


Mishap Risk Control Guidelines For Advanced Aerospace Materials - Environmental, Safety, And Health Concerns For Advanced Composites


Mishap Response Checklist For Advanced Aerospace Materials/Composites
These two "pdf" documents are provided by the USAF ADVANCED COMPOSITES PROGRAM OFFICE for information and guidance on the various hazards of Composite Materials. Along with it is a MISHAP CHECKLIST of various steps to take when dealing with these materials. These documents are a great resource for information and planning.


NTSB Report - Little Rock, Arkansas MD-82 Crash June 1st, 1999
On June 1, 1999, at about 2351 1 , a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, N215AA, operated by American Airlines as flight 1420, regularly scheduled passenger service from Dallas, Texas, overran the end of runway 4R and collided with the approach light stanchion at the Little Rock National Airport (LIT), in Little Rock, Arkansas. The captain and 10 passengers sustained fatal injuries; the remaining 134 passengers and crewmembers sustained various injuries.


Post Crash Hazards From Burning Aircraft Composites
The release of toxic combustion products from advanced composite materials in aircraft fires presents an unusual health risk to the various emergency response personnel. There is concern among the aviation fire fighting, rescue, and recovery and investigation groups that a health hazard is posed by the combination of various combustion products. This paper provides a review of the current scientific literature on the potential hazards from inhalation exposure to airborne carbon fibers and the combusted resin residues which are released when there is a crash impact, fire, and explosion involving advanced composites materials.

Coalition for Airport & Airplane Passenger Safety "SURVIVING THE CRASH"
The Need To Improve Lifesaving Measures At Our Nations Airports
"


Response from the Asia-Pacific Cabin Safety Working Group to the Review of "Airport Firefighting Services in Australia" by Russell V. Smith for the Civil Aviation Safety Authority


Aircraft Rescue And Firefighting Communications Advisory Circular
Date: July 1, 1999 AC - No: 150/5210-7C READ IT HERE



High-Reach Extendible Turrets With Skin Penetrating Nozzle
DOT/FAA/AR-05/53
November 2005


Comparative Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a High-Performance, Multiposition, Bumper-mounted Turret to the Performance of a P-19 Roof-mounted Turret
DOT/FAA/AR-TN05/18 
June 2005


Test and Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Small Airport Firefighting System (SAFS) in Extinguishing Two and Three Dimensional Hydrocarbon Fuel Fires
DOT/FAA/AR-TN03/45
May 2003


Evaluation of Retrofit ARFF Vehicle Suspension Enhancement to Reduce Vehicle Rollovers
DOT/FAA/AR-TN02/14


Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Training Fuel Comparative Evaluation
DOT/FAA/AR-TN01/4


Evaluation of Conductivity Meters for Firefighting Foams
DOT/FAA/AR-02/115



The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have issued a safety advisory to Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting services (ARFF) pertaining to ballistic parachute systems in use by general aviation and experimental aircraft across the country.  Ballistic parachute systems are typically installed in smaller aircraft to be used in an emergency situation.  During an emergency, the parachute deploys and the aircraft drifts slowly to the ground.  The product is gaining in use for general aviation and recently the company manufacturing the product announced the saving of its 165th life.


This information should receive the widest dissemination possible in an effort to prevent first responder injuries should an aircraft with one of these systems installed in it crash or become involved in fire without the system activated.

 

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