The Port Authority’s elite Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Unit (ARFF)

[redtail]

As an airfield electrician at Newark and LaGuardia for the first decade of my career, I used to see these guys in action quite frequently (drills and real emergencies). They were always at the top of their game, from my observation.

Here at the tunnels, our firefighters/first responders are equally proficient at their job, when we get vehicle fires in one of the tubes (which due to better cars and trucks, is far less frequently than when I became a Systems Controller nineteen years ago).

Our fire drills here are very similar to the airport drills, however, with our 84 ventilation fans, my job is to dissipate the smoke in the tunnel (away from the backed up traffic) ASAP so that these guys can get in and extinguish the vehicle fire in minimal time.
Just thought I'd share something that most of us (the travelling public) never think about.

Airport Safety Starts with a Fire Drill
Posted on April 17, 2019
By Lenis Rodrigues, Media Relations Staff

"ARFF is a unique unit of the Port Authority Aviation Department, staffed and operated by police officers trained to serve as firefighters responding to emergencies with aircraft. Each officer assigned to ARFF is a Federal Aviation Administration-certified aircraft rescue firefighter and must requalify twice annually, which exceeds FAA requirements.

“Public safety is a top priority for the Port Authority,” said Chief Security Officer John Bilich. “ARFF plays a critical role in ensuring that travelers flying in and out of our airports have the highest level of protection. The training component, whether visible or invisible, to the public is crucial in keeping the firefighters focused on making quick decisions.”

"There is also a mutual aid component to the unit’s service. When a small plane crash-landed during the past weekend in a Long Island neighborhood about nine miles from JFK, an ARFF unit was dispatched to assist local fire and rescue personnel.
Training standards are rigorous. “This is the most regulated discipline in fire training in the entire world,” said ARFF Chief Tom Wieczerzack, a 20-year veteran who oversees the unit’s training. “We have to make sure personnel are proficient in their knowledge, skills and ability. On top of that, we have to keep up with regulatory requirements.”

Rapid response could mean the difference between life and death. The challenges ARFF officers face differ from fighting a conventional building fire, from the difficult shape of an aircraft and the rescue challenges it presents, to the fact that planes can be carrying thousands of gallons of fuel, potentially making a bad situation worse.

About 80 percent of aircraft incidents happen within a 3,000-foot radius of the airport, either on take-off, taxiing or landing. ARFF has about 300 personnel assigned across the Port Authority’s airports, with 24 trucks at its disposal that can be deployed when airport control towers report an aircraft emergency."

WABC(7) Exclusive
https://videopress.com/v/r2Z2Gnhn

 

[Unit74]

Most ARFF units I have worked with are kinda like Air Marshall’s. They train over and over constantly for that once in a lifetime event where the odds of them actually having to perform is extremely slim to begin with.

The rest of the time they read books, watch TV or play video games.

 

[flyingron]

I trained with the guys at BWI. They pretty much said to be effective in a fire they need a 30 second response (30 seconds from the time the alarm sounds to be rolling up on the scene). We got to play around with foam with those guys. I was a firefighter in a small company that had the old Baltimore Airpart (1w2) in their territory.

 

[Unit74]

Yea, get that foam flowing.

 

[weilke]

Most ARFF units I have worked with are kinda like Air Marshall’s. They train over and over constantly for that once in a lifetime event where the odds of them actually having to perform is extremely slim to begin with.

The rest of the time they read books, watch TV or play video games.

The metro Washington airports fire department responds out into the community with regular structure engines and their medic units. There is of course always a full crew to fulfill the index requirements ready to go on the airside. The rest of the crew keeps themselves busy with car crashes on the Dulles access road and the highways surrounding their facilities.

 

[redtail]

Most ARFF units I have worked with are kinda like Air Marshall’s. They train over and over constantly for that once in a lifetime event where the odds of them actually having to perform is extremely slim to begin with.

The rest of the time they read books, watch TV or play video games.

Yeah we get so few vehicle tunnel fires in recent years (the last decade or so) that I force myself to practice setting ventilation patterns just to stay sharp. The automation is still in the works, so we still set the fan fire patterns manually.

As a result of better and more reliable cars and trucks, the frequency of actual live fire drills have been greatly reduced.
IMO, that is unfortunate for the new guys (not only first responders, but System Controllers as well), because unlike the occasional power failure from the utility companies, the new guys up here can actually go years after their initial job training before experiencing an actual tunnel fire!

When I train them, I try to emphasize the importance of self-discipline and occasional practice when they're up here in the Control Room all alone during our rotating shifts and weekends.

However, most of these young kids would rather play on their iPhone or kick their feet up and watch TV. Hopefully some of what I say to them will click. I'm retiring in a little over a year

 

[redtail]

You should create an artificial weather system in the tunnels. With that kind of power, I'd go mad.

You mean like a wind tunnel? The 6 speed fans (maximum 200hp-480VAC, variable frequency drives) are pretty effective. They move a lot of air and make a complete change of air throughout each tube every 90 seconds. They are configured as "blowers" and "exhausters" with a certain number in each zone of the tunnel. So for each fresh air blower, there is an associated exhauster. Each can be set at a different speed, depending on the need.

During the live fire drills when we close the tunnel, they set a real car fire. Once fully engulfed and we set the fire pattern, it's pretty impressive how quickly the thick wall of smoke is dissipated!

With the exception of a vehicle fire, top speed is rarely needed. During normal daily operations, 2nd or 3rd speed is sufficient to keep the CO levels well below max acceptable levels.