This document discusses considerations for airport emergency plans including defining primary and secondary response, identifying resources and agencies involved, addressing different types of accidents and incidents, and the importance of training. An effective airport emergency plan accounts for the unique characteristics of each airport and coordinates all responding entities.

1. Aircraft Rescue and Fire
Fighting,
5th
Edition
Chapter 10 — Airport Emergency
Planning

2. ARFF
10–2
Chapter 10 Lesson Goal
• After completing this lesson, the student
shall be able to describe airport
emergency plans and aircraft rescue
and fire fighting response to accidents.

3. ARFF
10–3
Objectives
1. Discuss airport emergency
plans.
2. Describe primary response
considerations.
3. Describe secondary response
considerations.
(Continued)

4. ARFF
10–4
Objectives
4. Discuss emergency response.
5. Explain training considerations.

5. ARFF
10–5
Airport Emergency Plan (AEP)
• An essential part of
risk management
• Addresses the need
for coordinated
response
• Complete and
detailed

6. ARFF
10–6
Types of Aircraft Involved
• Dictate kinds/quantities of resources
• General aviation/commercial
– Handled the same
– Agricultural aircraft — hazardous materials
response
• Be familiar with military aviation

7. ARFF
10–7
Types of Accidents/Incidents
• Know difference between an incident
and an accident
• Defined as low- or high-impact
• Measured by severity and angle of
impact
(Continued)

8. ARFF
10–8
Types of Accidents/Incidents
• Low-impact crash — fatality rates tend
to be low if egress not blocked by fire
(Continued)Courtesy of District Chief Chris Mickal,
New Orleans (LA) FD Photo Unit.

9. ARFF
10–9
Types of Accidents/Incidents
• High-impact crash — a
nonsurvivable crash
resulting in severe
structural damage to
aircraft
– Individuals have
survived
(Continued)
Courtesy of SPC Kyle Davis
(US Army), Defense Visual
Information Center (DVIC).

10. ARFF
10–10
Types of Accidents/Incidents
• Both types of accidents — life
safety/rescue is number one goal

11. ARFF
10–11
Critical Phases of Flight
• First 5 minutes after take-off
• Last 10 minutes before landing
• Noncruise flight under 10,000 ft (3 000
m)

12. ARFF
10–12
Possible Accident Sites
• High percentage of
accidents occur on or
near airport property
• Prepare grid maps
– Airport
– Surrounding area
(Continued)
Courtesy of DFW International
Airport – ITS/GIS Department.

13. ARFF
10–13
Possible Accident Sites
• Establish airport hazard assessments
• Accident Potential Zones
– Clear Zone
– APZ 1
– APZ 2
• Assessment should include certain
criteria

14. ARFF
10–14
Bailout and Jettison Areas
• AEP
– Bailout and jettison areas
– Area maps
– Procedures for military aircrews to bailout
or jettison stores at this area
(Continued)

15. ARFF
10–15
Bailout and Jettison Areas
• Included in search plan
• AEP procedures for rescue/retrieval
• AEP should establish a Bailout-Jettison
area

16. ARFF
10–16
Search and Rescue
• Air Search & Rescue
• Ground Search & Rescue (GSAR)
• GSAR — initiated once an aircraft is
downed, missing, overdue
• Agencies coordinate own efforts

17. ARFF
10–17
Accident Site Accessibility
• Check access to areas
where crashes are likely
• Access may be
restricted
• Planning — include
routes over areas in
which no roads exist
Courtesy of Robert Lindstrom.
(Continued)

18. ARFF
10–18
Accident Site Accessibility
• Develop a standard emergency
response pattern (SERP) model for use
during each incident
– Standardize locations
– Establish areas upwind

19. ARFF
10–19
Climatic Considerations
• Consider effects of weather
– Delay/prevent response
– Make terrain difficult to pass
(Continued)

20. ARFF
10–20
Climatic Considerations
• Protect aircraft occupants/responders
– Portable shelters
– Rehabilitation areas
– Blankets, ponchos, rain gear

21. ARFF
10–21
Primary Response
• Agencies that are notified on the initial
call
• Nature/magnitude of emergency dictate
level of response
(Continued)

22. ARFF
10–22
Primary Response
• Aircraft rescue and fire fighting services
– Law enforcement agencies
– Emergency medical services
– Air carrier/aircraft owner
– Airport Management Operations

23. ARFF
10–23
Law Enforcement Agencies
• Cordon off immediate crash site
• Should establish scene security
perimeter
• Limit access to Staging Area
• Various other responsibilities

24. ARFF
10–24
Emergency Medical Services
• Plans should address EMS needs
• Emergency personnel
– Triage
– Emergency care
– Transportation of injured
(Continued)

25. ARFF
10–25
Emergency Medical Services
• AEP — identify abilities/limitations of
medical facilities
• Minor injuries
– Airport facility
– Hotels/schools

26. ARFF
10–26
Air Carrier/Aircraft Owner
• Key player in management of aviation
disaster
• Airline personnel — provide precise
information
– Number of occupants
– Hazardous materials
(Continued)

27. ARFF
10–27
Air Carrier/Aircraft Owner
• Developed airline disaster response
and family-assistance resource teams
• Have personnel that will respond to an
incident to manage and protect
interests
(Continued)

28. ARFF
10–28
Air Carrier/Aircraft Owner
• IC may request senior air carrier
representative be assigned command
post
• Acts require affected airline to perform
wide variety of tasks
• Air carrier responsible for removal of
aircraft

29. ARFF
10–29
Airport
Management/Operations
• After emergency operations, primary
goal will be to resume normal/modified
airport operations
• Helicopters — ARFF may need to
request airspace restriction
(Continued)

30. ARFF
10–30
Airport
Management/Operations
• Will make required and necessary
notifications
• Physical resources available from
airport
• Airport personnel can support tasks
(Continued)

31. ARFF
10–31
Airport
Management/Operations
• Conduct damage assessment/
inspection
• Personnel
– Assist with preservation and protection of
wreckage and immediate incident scene
– Video and photographic documentation

32. ARFF
10–32
Secondary Response
• Activated as primary response units
arrive
• Expands and contracts as dictated by
emergency

33. ARFF
10–33
Mutual Aid Support
• Should have written
mutual aid
agreements
• Can become part of
primary response
(Continued)
Courtesy of John Demyan.

34. ARFF
10–34
Mutual Aid Support
• If not primary response, need to
request aid
• Meet with representatives of all entities

35. ARFF
10–35
Available Apparatus,
Equipment, and Water Supply
• May need to call in specialized vehicles
and equipment
• Written plan should designate types of
vehicles
• Contractual information — part of AEP
• Special emphasis on water supply

36. ARFF
10–36
Rehabilitation Resources
• All personnel required
to spend time in
rehab area
• Make arrangements
with vendors, canteen
providers, other
organizations
(Continued)

37. ARFF
10–37
Rehabilitation Resources
• Exercise proper decontamination
procedures
• Rehab area — must meet certain
requirements

38. ARFF
10–38
Critical Incident Stress
Management Team
• Responders subject to psychological
pressure
• Should have a list of qualified critical
incident stress teams
(Continued)

39. ARFF
10–39
Critical Incident Stress
Management Team
• Personnel — provided the opportunity
to participate in a critical incident stress
program within first 24 hours
• Responders being demobilized —
defused/provided CISM information
prior to leaving scene

40. ARFF
10–40
Government Agencies
• May assist in crash investigation — FBI,
ATF, and other agencies
• Crash evidence is important
– Escort media personnel
– Restrict media to bus
(Continued)

41. ARFF
10–41
Government Agencies
• Names of those involved
– If not seriously injured, as soon as possible
– If killed or seriously injured, kin must be
notified first

42. ARFF
10–42
Military Assistance
• Can help if criteria
are met
• May enter into
mutual-assistance
agreements
• Can provide
military personnel
and resources
Courtesy of AIC L.A. Smith
(USAF), Defense Visual
Information Center (DVIC).

43. ARFF
10–43
American Red Cross and
Salvation Army
• Red Cross
– Tasked under the “Aviation Disaster Family
Assistance Act of 1996”
– Performs many functions
– Language Bank
• Salvation Army has similar programs to
Red Cross

44. ARFF
10–44
Mortuary Assistance
• Plans should include temporary morgue
• Local facilities may become
overwhelmed
• Representatives should meet with
planners

45. ARFF
10–45
Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA)
• Responsible for investigating civil
aircraft
– Determine if violations of federal aviation
laws/regulations
– Look at many factors
• Also investigate accidents/incidents not
investigated by NTSB

46. ARFF
10–46
Air Traffic Control Tower
(ATCT)
• Will immediately notify emergency and
airport services
• Should regularly meet with emergency
services
• Relay radio transmissions received on
FAA frequencies
(Continued)

47. ARFF
10–47
Air Traffic Control Tower
(ATCT)
• Advise traffic of emergency situations
– Recorded and kept for 15 days
– If accident, retained for 6 months/resolved
• Also investigated as potential cause of
an accident

48. ARFF
10–48
Coast Guard
• Responsible for search and rescue
missions in territorial U.S. waters
• Can take actions where their aid is
needed

49. ARFF
10–49
Other Waterborne Resources
• Harbor masters, Lifeguards, Harbor
Patrol, Army Corps of Engineers, other
marine organizations
• Private vessel owners

50. ARFF
10–50
Foreign Language Interpreters
and Linguists
• Identify resources in emergency plans
• Services such as ALTRUSA
International, Inc.

51. ARFF
10–51
Religious Organizations and
Clergy
• Clergy
– Provide comfort
– Perform religious services
• Churches
– Volunteers
– Physical facilities

52. ARFF
10–52
Communications Services
• Ham radio organizations
– Provide additional means of
communication
– Ham radio operators — position in key
positions, provide own equipment
(Continued)

53. ARFF
10–53
Communications Services
• Telephone/cellular companies —
provide temporary and additional
communications

54. ARFF
10–54
Public Works Departments
• City/county public works
• State highway departments, water
departments, gas and electric utility
companies

55. ARFF
10–55
Civil Air Patrol
• Volunteer organization
– Aircraft/personnel for
search
– Locate and turn off
Emergency Location
Transmitters
• Usually provided free of
charge
Courtesy of Susan C.
Robertson, NHQ
Photographer, Civil Air Patrol.

56. ARFF
10–56
Airport Tenants and Fixed
Based Operators (FBOs)
• May be able to provide a wide variety of
resources
– Equipment
– Facilities
– Specialized personnel
(Continued)

57. ARFF
10–57
Airport Tenants and Fixed
Based Operators (FBOs)
• May be able to provide a wide variety of
services
– Aircraft maintenance/repair facilities
– Caterers/restaurants
– Helicopter contractors
– Aeronautical/flight schools
– Rental car/bus companies

58. ARFF
10–58
Office of Emergency Services/
Management (OES/OEM)
• Act as a focal point to access
resources/assistance
• Federal Emergency Management
(FEMA) — contact for federal resources
during disasters

59. ARFF
10–59
Search and Rescue Teams
• Volunteer, professional, and paid
organizations
– Wilderness, mountain, desert
– Mounted posses
– Underwater teams/divers
– 4-wheel drive teams
– Snowmobile teams
– Search dog units

60. ARFF
10–60
Construction Contractors/
Equipment Rental
• Specialized resources
– Vehicles
– Tools and equipment
– Cordoning supplies
– Equipment for survivors and emergency
crews

61. ARFF
10–61
Communications and News
Media
• Must be addressed
during planning
• Clear communication
is essential
• Establish working
relationship with news
media

62. ARFF
10–62
Response to Military Aircraft
Accidents
• Military personnel — deal with delicate,
dangerous, complicated military aircraft
systems
• Call nearest military installation or notify
National Response Center
• Contact regional FEMA office
(Continued)

63. ARFF
10–63
Response to Military Aircraft
Accidents
• Military will
dispatch assistance
teams
• Military will obtain
information from
witnesses
Courtesy of TSgt Douglas K.
Lingefelt (USAF), Defense Visual
Information Center (DVIC).

64. ARFF
10–64
Response to Airport Structure
Fires
• ARFF must deal with fires in structures
• FAA — requires indexed airports to
address structure fires
(Continued)

65. ARFF
10–65
Response to Airport Structure
Fires
• Emergency response plans — identify
evacuation procedures
• Plans should define roles and
responsibilities
– ARFF agency
– Local fire and emergency services

66. ARFF
10–66
Response to Hazardous
Materials Incidents
• Must consider hazards
– Aircraft fuels
– Lubricants
– Hydraulic fluids
– Liquid oxygen (LOX)
– Paint solvents
– Non-destructive inspection radiation
sources (Continued)

67. ARFF
10–67
Response to Hazardous
Materials Incidents
• Response plans should focus on
hazards commonly found on particular
airfield
• AEP — identify organizations/agencies
responsible
• SARA Title III — “Hazardous Material
Business Plans”

68. ARFF
10–68
Contagious Disease Response
• Plans should identify procedures for
emergency workers
– Protect themselves
– Isolate potentially contaminated
passengers
– Provide emergency care/transportation
– Contact local health department or CDC

69. ARFF
10–69
Terrorism Response
• Airfields/aircraft target of terrorists
• Plan similar to hazardous materials plan
• Different approach required
– Danger of secondary events
– Criminal nature
(Continued)

70. ARFF
10–70
Terrorism Response
• Plan should match risks and hazards
• Include additional agencies
– Department of Homeland Security
– Federal Bureau of Investigation

71. ARFF
10–71
Response to Mass Casualty
Incidents
• Crashes involving
commercial aircraft —
large number of
casualties
• Must be prepared to
handle casualties
(Continued)
Courtesy of William D. Stewart.

72. ARFF
10–72
Response to Mass Casualty
Incidents
• Plans must
– Identify procedures
– Define roles and responsibilities

73. ARFF
10–73
Post-incident Scene Control
• Site can remain busy
• Investigation phase of incident
• Agency personnel — represent
organizations’ interests
• Plan should identify necessary items

74. ARFF
10–74
Training
• AEP — only successful with training
• Small exercises
• Large-scale drill

75. ARFF
10–75
Training for Mutual Aid and
Support Personnel
• Mutual aid — often needed in a major
event/multiple simultaneous events
• Participate in airport emergency
planning, training, and drills
• Conduct joint exercises at airport
(Continued)

76. ARFF
10–76
Training for Mutual Aid and
Support Personnel
• Personnel near an airport should
become familiar with airport/aircraft
• Mutual aid companies should become
familiar with airport
• Training — emphasize use of structural
apparatus
(Continued)

77. ARFF
10–77
Training for Mutual Aid and
Support Personnel
• Practice under conditions as realistic as
possible
• Airport support personnel — may be an
effective adjunct to fire prevention
forces

78. ARFF
10–78
Joint Training Exercises
• Participate in several full-scale training
exercises
• Operational priorities in ARFF
– Rescue
– Fire control
– Loss control
(Continued)

79. ARFF
10–79
Joint Training Exercises
• Successful execution
– Airport emergency planning
– Cooperation
• Participate in post incident analysis
• Exercise plan once a year — table top
• Full-scale drill — as required by AHJ

80. ARFF
10–80
Summary
• An airport emergency response plan
should include multiple considerations
about the airport to which it applies.
(Continued)

81. ARFF
10–81
Summary
• These considerations include the types
of aircraft the airport services, the
airport’s possible accident sites and
their accessibility, as well as information
about climate conditions and search
and rescue capabilities.
(Continued)

82. ARFF
10–82
Summary
• An AEP should establish all resources
available to ARFF personnel. An AEP
must also describe responses to
specific emergencies that could occur
at an airport.
(Continued)

83. ARFF
10–83
Summary
• Every aspect of an AEP should be
practiced on a regular basis. Joint
training exercises should include all
mutual aid support agencies that may
respond to an emergency.

84. ARFF
10–84
Review Questions
1. How are accidents defined and
measured?
2. What are the types of search
and rescue operations that can be
activated?
3. What are several common
problems identified during aircraft
incident critiques? (Continued)

85. ARFF
10–85
Review Questions
4. What agencies may need to be
notified of an accident by airport
management personnel?
5. When is the secondary
response network activated?
(Continued)

86. ARFF
10–86
Review Questions
6. What are some activities for
which local Department of Defense
(DoD) installations may be called
upon for assistance?
(Continued)

87. ARFF
10–87
Review Questions
7. When are ham radio
organizations especially valuable as a
means of communication during an
ARFF incident?
8. What is the Multi Agency Radio
Communication System (MARCS)?
(Continued)

88. ARFF
10–88
Review Questions
9. What are the duties of military
police when called upon for
assistance during an ARFF incident?
10. Discuss procedures that must be
identified in mass casualty incident
(MCI) response plans.