STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES TACTICAL OPERATIONS 202.15j AIRCRAFT RESCUE FIRE FIGHTING INDEX EFFECTIVE: OCTOBER 2007 AIRCRAFT RESCUE FIREFIGHTING Goals 1. To save and protect lives 2. To mitigate any hazardous conditions Objectives 1. Life safety 2. Exposure protection 3. Hazard mitigation INDEX DETERMINATION (FAR 139.315) 1. An index is required by paragraph (c) of this section for each certificate holder. The Index is determined by a combination of: a. The length of air carrier aircraft; and b. Average daily departures of air carrier aircraft. 2. For the purpose of Index determination, air carrier aircraft lengths are grouped as follows: a. Index A includes aircraft less than 90 feet in length. b. Index B includes aircraft at least 90 feet but less than 126 feet in length. c. Index C includes aircraft at least 126 feet but less than 159 feet in length. d. Index D includes aircraft at least 159 feet but less than 200 feet in length. Page 1 of 7
e. Index E includes aircraft at least 200 feet in length. 3. Except as provided in 139.319(c), if there are five or more average daily departures of air carrier aircraft in a single Index group serving the airport, the longest aircraft with an average of five or more daily departures determines the Index required for the airport. When there are fewer than five average daily departures of the longest air carrier aircraft serving the airport, the Index required for the airport will be the next lower Index group than the Index group prescribed for the longest aircraft. 4. The Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) Index for Fresno Yosemite International in accordance with FAR 139.315 (b) is based upon the Canadair RJ 200. a. The Airport ARFF Index is B. b. ARFF services are provided 24-hours, 7-days per week. c. The ARFF vehicle descriptions and equipment list is in exhibit 10.1. Operational Requirements (FAR 139.319) 1. On-airport availability of ARFF Index B capability. a. Fresno Fire Department maintains the rescue and firefighting capability described above, which is required to meet Index B (FAR 139.319 [a]). 2. Off-Airport ARFF response. Only one ARFF vehicle at any time during air carrier operations may be sent off the airport for mutual-aid response, and only under the following conditions: a. With prior approval of the Airport operations manager or Airport Public Safety (APS) manager. b. No known airport or aircraft emergency is in progress or impending. c. Air Rescue-2 only if the response is to an aircraft accident, the site of which is within one statute mile of the airport property limits. Page 2 of 7
d. Only if replacement ARFF capability by mutual-aid arrangement from the CANG is in place on the airport during the time Rescue-2" is off the airport, so the required ARFF Index continues to be maintained. 3. Increase in Index (FAR 139.319 [b]). a. If an increase in the average daily departures or the length of air carrier aircraft results in an increase in the Index required by FAR 139, the Airport will comply with the increased requirements. 4. Reduction in rescue and firefighting (FAR 139.319[c]). a. An Index reduction procedure is not used. However, any reduction in Index will be reported in accordance with FAR 139. 5. Vehicle communications (FAR 139.319 [e]). a. Each ARFF vehicle is equipped with adequate two-way voice radio communications which provide for contact with: (1) Each required emergency vehicle. (2) The Airport traffic control tower. (3) All mutual aid agencies as specified in the Airport Emergency Plan. 6. Vehicle marking and lighting (FAR 139.319 [f]). a. Each ARFF vehicle has a flashing and/or rotating beacon and is painted in a safety lime-yellow color to enhance contrast with the background environment and optimize daytime and nighttime visibility and identification. Additionally, each vehicle displays its identification markings (R-1, R-2, and R-4), which correspond to their respective radio call signs. 7. Vehicle readiness (FAR 139.319 [h]). a. Each ARFF vehicle required under FAR 139.317 shall be maintained as follows: (1) The vehicle and its system will be maintained so as to be operationally capable of performing the functions required by Subpart D of FAR 139 during all air carrier operations (FAR 139.319 [h] [1]). Page 3 of 7
(2) The vehicles, when not being operated, are garaged in the vehicle bay of the ARFF station in a stage of readiness. This vehicle bay is heated to approximately 60 degrees F during the winter, to ensure equipment operation and provide protection in freezing conditions (FAR 139.319 [h] [2]). (3) Any required vehicle that becomes inoperative to the extent it cannot perform as required by FAR 139.319 (h) (1) will be replaced as soon as possible with equipment meeting Index. (4) If replacement equipment is not available immediately, the Airport will notify the FAA s regional director and each air carrier using the airport in accordance with FAR 139.339. (5) If the required Index level capability is not restored within 48 hours, the Airport, unless otherwise authorized by the administrator, will limit air carrier operations on the airport to those compatible with the Index corresponding to the remaining operative ARFF equipment (FAR 139.319 [i] [3]). 8. Response requirements (FAR 139.319 [i]). a. Airport Public Safety/Fresno Fire Department will (FAR 139.319 [i] [1]): (1) Respond to each emergency during the period of air carrier operations. (2) Demonstrate, when requested by the administrator, compliance with the response requirements of FAR 139.319 (i). (a) Within three minutes from the time of the alarm, at least one ARFF vehicle will reach the midpoint of the farthest runway serving air carriers from the ARFF station, or reach any other point of comparable distance on the movement area which is available to air carrier and begin application of foam or dry chemical. (b) Within four minutes from the time of the alarm, all other ARFF vehicles will reach the point specified above and begin application of foam or dry chemical. Page 4 of 7
9. Personnel (FAR 139.319 [j]). a. APS has a sufficient number of personnel properly equipped, trained, and qualified to perform their duties in response to the requirements of FAR 139 Subpart D. (1) All personnel assigned to ARFF duties are issued and have available for immediate use, protective clothing, and equipment of the approved types, i.e., proximity suit, head gear, footwear, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), required to perform their duties (FAR 139.319 [j] [i]). (2) All ARFF personnel are properly trained in the following subjects to perform their duties (FAR 139.319 [j] [2]). (a) Airport familiarization. (b) Aircraft familiarization. (c) Rescue and firefighting personnel safety. (d) Emergency communications systems on the airport, including fire alarm. (e) Use of the fire hoses, nozzles, turrets, and other appliances with which the vehicles are equipped. (f) Application of the types of extinguishing agents carried in the ARFF vehicles. (g) Aircraft emergency evacuation assistance. (h) Firefighting operations. (i) Adapting and using structural rescue and firefighting equipment for ARFF. (j) Aircraft cargo hazards. (k) Familiarization with ARFF duties under the Airport Emergency Plan. (3) All ARFF personnel participate in at least one live-fire drill every 12 months (FAR 139.319 [j] [3]). Page 5 of 7
(4) At least one ARFF firefighter on-duty during air carrier operations has been trained, certified, and is current in basic emergency medical care. Refresher training is conducted annually to maintain currency. (5) During air carrier operations, Airport Public Safety/Fresno Fire Department will have sufficient fully trained and qualified ARFF personnel to operate the vehicles, meet the response times, and meet the minimum agent discharge rates required by FAR 139, and this manual. 10. Alert system and procedures (FAR 139.319 [j] [6]). a. The following alert systems and procedures are established and maintained for alerting ARFF personnel to any existing or impending emergency requiring their assistance: (1) Alarm system. (a) A direct telephone hotline (crash phone) connects the Airport traffic control tower (ATCT) to the Airport Public Safety Division/Fresno Fire Department, the facilities, personnel equipment and supplies of which are located approximately 250 feet southeast of the ATCT building. (b) When the crash phone is activated, it sounds an alarm in various areas of the Airport fire station, establishes twoway voice communications between ARFF and ATCT, and broadcasts on the Airport UHF hand-held and base station transceivers. (c) The alarm system is tested daily. (2) Alert procedures. (a) ARFF personnel on duty are alerted to airport emergencies via the crash phone alarm system by ATCT personnel. (b) Upon being alerted of an impending or actual airport emergency, ARFF personnel will immediately: don personal protective gear and occupy their pre-assigned vehicles, and drive the vehicles to their pre-assigned standby locations or directly, by the shortest route, to the site of the emergency, as appropriate. Page 6 of 7
(c) The initial alert message will contain essential information to allow ARFF personnel to select the most expedient and effective response route. Supplemental information, if unavailable at the time of the initial message, will be given while the vehicles are enroute (e.g., aircraft type, nature of the emergency, status of fuel and occupants, presence of hazardous cargo, and other pertinent or useful information). EMERGENCY ACCESS ROADS Besides the runway and taxiway system, the perimeter service road is designated as an emergency access road. This road is maintained in a condition that will support ARFF vehicles during all weather conditions. Page 7 of 7