1.

SCOPE:

1.1

The principal objective of a Rescue and Fire Service is to save lives in the event of an aircraft accident or incident occurring at, or in the immediate vicinity of, an airport. The Rescue and Fire service is provided to create and maintain survivable conditions, to provide egress routes for occupants and to initiate the rescue of those occupants unable to make their escape without direct aid.

1.2

The Rescue and Fire Service must exit all times for extinguishing Fire and Rescue work at the time of aircraft incident / accident or any emergency.

1.3

The Rescue and Fire Fighting may also vigil though discharge of accumulated electrostatic charges at the time of ground contact or during fuelling operations.

1.4

The provision of emergency exits and their availability to be opened from the inside and outside the aircraft is of primary importance in Rescue and evacuation operation at the time of incident / accident.

1.5

The most important factors bearing on effective rescue in a survivable aircraft accident is 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 deployed.

1.6

The provision of adequate and special means of dealing promptly with an aircraft accident or incident occurring at, or immediate vicinity of, an airport assumes prime importance because it is within this area that there are the greatest opportunities of saving lives.

1.7

The extent of aircraft fires which may affect the rescue is influence largely by the quantity and deposition of fuel carried by the aircraft and the location of any fuel release as the result of the accident or incident.

1.8

The proposal set out here under concerning these services are intended as a general guide, to be applied to the fullest extent practical.

1.9

Where an aerodrome is located close to water/sea/swamp areas, or difficult terrain/environment and where a significant portion of approach or departure operations takes place over these areas, specialist rescue services and firefighting equipment/appliances appropriate to the hazard and risk shall be available.

2.

ADMINISTRATION

2.1

The Rescue & Fire Service at an airport should be under the administrative control of Airports Authority of India.

2.2

The Rescue & Fire Service should be responsible for ensuring that the service provided is organized, equipped, staffed, trained and operated in such a manner to achieve the principal objectives of saving lives in the event of aircraft incident/accident and achieve response time.

2.3

Coordination between Rescue & Fire Service at an airport and supporting agencies i.e. local fire department, police force, central industrial security forces posted at airport, ambulance, district administration, disaster management authority, hospitals, coast guard for sea area etc.

2.4

A detailed grid map of airport & immediate vicinity should be provided for the use of airport services concerned related to detailed information concerning topography, access roads, location of water supply etc. The grid map should be available/display in the Fire control room, fire watch tower, air traffic control tower, class-rooms, MI Room/fire station etc. including ARFF Vehicles/Ambulance/Supporting vehicles to respond an aircraft accident/incident/emergency/ mock drill. The copy of the grid map should also be distributed to supporting agencies.

3.

AIRPORT CATEGORY

3.1

The level of protection to be provided at an aerodrome should be based on the dimensions of the aeroplane normally using the airport as adjusted for their frequency of operations.

3.2

The airport category for Rescue & Fire Services should be based on the overall length of the longest aeroplane normally using the airport and their maximum fuselage width.

3.3

The airport category should be determined from Table-1 by categorization the aeroplanes using the airport, by first evaluating their overall length and second, their fuselage width. If, after selecting the category appropriate to an aeroplane’ s overall length that aeroplane’ s fuselage width is greater than the maximum width in column 3 of Table-1 for that category, then the category for that aeroplane is actually on category higher.

3.4

Airport should be categorized for RFF purposes by counting the aeroplane movements in the busiest consecutive three months of the year when the number of movements of the aeroplane in the highest category normally using the airport is 700 or greater in the busiest consecutive three months, then that category should be the airport category and when the number of movements of the aeroplanes in the highest category normally using the airport is less than 700 in the busiest consecutive three months, then the airport category may be one less than highest aeroplane category as per Table-1 and also shall not be less than one category below the determined category.

3.5

The movement of aeroplane based on the take-off or landing scheduled non-scheduled and general aviation operations should be counted in determining the airport category.

3.6

Availability of ARFF Services including level of protection and watch hours will be notified through aeronautical information publication and any temporary change in the status of service will be notified through NOTAM.

3.7

During the anticipated periods of activity, the airport category may be reduced to the highest category of aeroplane planned to the use the airport during that time irrespective of number of movement

4.

AERODROME CATEGORY FOR RESCUE AND FIREFIGHTING

TABLE - 1

1

0 m up to but not including 9 m

2 m

2

9 m up to but not including 12 m

2 m

3

12 m up to but not including 18 m

3 m

4

18 m up to but not including 24 m

4 m

5

24 m up to but not including 28 m

4 m

6

28 m up to but not including 39 m

5 m

7

39 m up to but not including 49 m

5 m

8

49 m up to but not including 61 m

7 m

9

61 m up to but not including 76 m

7 m

10

76 m up to but not including 90 m

8 m

5.

AIRPORT CATEGORY FOR ALL CARGO AEROPLANE

TABLE-2

10

7

a. All cargo aeroplanes is an aeroplane operated for the transportation of the goods without passengers.

b. The level of protection at aerodromes used for all cargo aeroplane may be reduced accordance with Table -2

c. The airport category for cargo aircraft is based on the need to protect only the area around the cockpit in the critical area concept.

6.

MINIMUM NUMBER OF ARFF (ACFT/RIV) AMBULANCE & PERSONNAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENTS

TABLE-3

2

1

1

3

1

1

4

1

1

5

1

1

6

2

2

7

2

3

2

8

3

4

2

9

4

4

3

10

4

4

3

TABLE 4

1

1 &2

2

2

1

2

1

1 +1

1 +1

2

3 &4

3

2

1

3

2

1 +1

1 +1

3

5 &6

6

3

1

6

3

2 +1

2 +1

4

7

9

4

1

9

4

3+1

3+1

5

8

12

5

1

12

5

4+1

4+1

6

9

15

6

1

15

6

5+1

5+1

7

10

18

6

2

18

6

6+1

6+1

7.

TYPE OF EXTINGUISHING AGENT

a. Both principal and complementary agents should be provided/available at an airport.

b. Principal agents produce a permanent control i.e. for a period of several minutes or longer.

c. Complementary agents have rapid fire suppression capacity but offer a transient control which is usually only available during applications.

(A) PRINCIPAL EXTINGUISHING AGENTS:

(i) A foam meeting the minimum performance level B as per ICAO specifications

or

(ii) A foam meeting the minimum performance level C as per ICAO specifications

or

(iii) A Combination of these agents.

(B) COMPLEMENTARY EXTINGUISHING AGENTS:

(i) Dry chemical powders as per ICAO specifications.

(ii) Other extinguishing agents with same firefighting capabilities.

8.

AMOUNT OF EXTINGUISHING AGENTS

8.1

The amount of water & water for foam production and the complementary to be provided on the ARFF Vehicles should be accordance with the airport category under Table -5

8.2

The minimum amount of extinguishing agents are based on the average overall lengths of aeroplanes in a airport fire category as per Table -5

8.3

The amount in Table -5 have been determined by adding the quantity of extinguishing agents which are required to obtained a one-minute control time in the practical critical area as per ICAO and the quantity for extinguishing agents which are required for continue control of the fire thereafter and/or for possible complete extinguishment of the fire.

8.4

Control time is the time required to reduce the initial intensity of the fire by 90 percent.

8.5

Where operations by aeroplanes larger than the average size in a given category are planned, the quantity of water shall be re-calculated and the amount of water for foam production and the discharge rate for foam solution shall be accordingly.

8.6

The quantity of foam concentrates separately provided on vehicles for foam production shall be in proportion to the quantity of water provided and the foam concentrate selected.

8.7

The amount of foam concentrate should be sufficient to supply at least two full loads of such quantity of water where sufficient additional water supply is immediately available to the ensure rapid replenishment of the water contained carried.

8.8

The amounts of water specify for foam production are predicated on an application rate of 5.5 liter/min/m2 performance level B and 3.75 liter/min/m2 for a foam meeting performance level C.

9.

MINIMUM USAUBLE AMOUNTS OF EXTINGUISHING AGENTS

TABLE-5

Aerodrome Category

Foam Meeting Performance Level “B”

Foam Meeting Performance Level “C”

Complementary Agents

Water

(L)

Discharge Rate Foam Solution/Minute (L)

Water

(L)

Discharge Rate Foam Solution/

Minute

(L)

Dry Chemical Powders

(KG)

Discharge Rate

(KG/

Second)

1

230

230

160

160

45

2.25

2

670

550

460

360

90

2.25

3

1200

900

820

630

135

2.25

4

2400

1800

1700

1100

135

2.25

5

5400

3000

3900

2200

180

2.25

6

7900

4000

5800

2900

225

2.25

7

12100

5300

8800

3800

225

2.25

8

18200

7200

12800

5100

450

4.5

9

24300

9000

17100

6300

450

4.5

10

32300

11200

22800

7900

450

4.5