General
Considerations
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.1.1 The principal objective of a rescue and fire fighting service is to save lives in the event
of an aircraft accident or incident.
1.1.2
This contingency must assume at all times the possibility of and need for
extinguishing a fire which may:
( a)
exist at the time an aircraft is landing, taking off, taxiing, parked, etc.; or
(b) occur immediately following an
aircraft accident or incident; or
(c) occur at any time during rescue operations.
The rupture of fuel tanks in an aircraft crash and the consequent
spillage of highly volatile fuels, and other flammable liquids used by
aircraft, present a high degree of probability of ignition if these liquids
come into contact with hot metal parts of the aircraft or because of
sparks caused by the movement of
wreckage or disturbance of the electrical circuit. Fires may also occur through
the discharge of accumulated electrostatic charges at the time of ground
contact or during fuelling operations. An outstanding characteristic of
aircraft fires is their tendency to reach lethal intensity within a very short
time. This presents a severe hazard to the lives of those directly involved and
handicaps rescue efforts.
1.1.3 For this reason, the provision of
adequate and special means of dealing promptly with an aircraft accident or
incident occurring at, or in the immediate vicinity of, an airport assumes
primary importance because it is within this area that there are the greatest
opportunities of saving lives.
1.1.4 The extent of aircraft fires
which may affect rescue is influenced largely by the quantity and disposition
of fuel carried by the aircraft and the location of any fuel released as a
result of the accident or incident. It may be possible to reduce these hazards
through the provision of effective fire
prevention devices, such as fire walls at all strategic points of the aircraft or crash and fire resistant fuel tanks and fuel
lines, installed aboard an aircraft.
1.1.5 The standardisation of emergency
exits and their ability to be opened from the inside and outside of an aircraft
is of primary importance in rescue operations. The provision of special tools
to rescue teams in order to gain access to the interior of a fuselage is
essential but their use can only be regarded as an extreme measure to be taken
whenever for special reasons normal means of access are unavailable or
unsuitable for use.
1.1.6 The most important factors
bearing on effective rescue in a survivable aircraft accident are the training
received, the effectiveness of the equipment and the speed with which personnel
and equipment, designated for rescue and fire fighting purposes, can be put
into use.
1.1.7 The
proposals set out hereunder concerning these services are intended as a general
guide, to be applied to the fullest extent practicable.
1.2 ADMINISTRATION
1.2.1 The rescue and fire fighting
service at an airport should be under the administrative control of the airport
management, which should also be responsible for ensuring that the service
provided is organized, equipped, staffed, trained and operated in such a manner
as to fulfil its proper functions. The airport management may designate public
or private organizations suitably located and equipped to provide the rescue
and fire fighting service. It is intended that the fire station housing these
organizations be normally located on the airport although an off‑airport
location is not precluded provided the response time can be met.
1.2.2 It is intended that the above include the availability of suitable
rescue equipment and services for an airport located close to water, swamp,
desert or other
difficult environment, where a significant portion of approach or departure
operations takes place over these areas. The purpose of these special vehicles
is to rescue aircraft occupants at an aircraft accident that may occur in this
area . Special fire fighting equipment need not to be provided; this does not
prevent the provision of such equipment if it would be of practical use , such
as when the areas concerned include reefs or island . Material related to rescue operations in difficult environments
may be found in chapter 13.
1.2.3 Co-ordination
between the rescue and fire fighting service at an airport and public
protective agencies ( local fire department , police forces, coast guard and
hospitals ) should be achieved by prior agreement for assistance in dealing
with an aircraft accident.
1.2.4 A detailed grid map (s) of the airport and its immediate vicinity
( with date of revision ) should be proveideed for the use of the airport services concerned . Information
concerning topography , access roads and location of water supplies should be indicated.
This map should be conspicuously posted in the control tower and the fire station and be
available on the rescue and fire fighting vehicles and such other supporting
vehicles required to respond to an aircraft accident or incident. Copies should
also be distributed to public protective agencies as desirable.