Airservices Welcomes Aerial Fire Fighting Vehicle To Sydney Airport

Airservices Welcomes Aerial Fire Fighting Vehicle to Sydney Airport

Airservices Australia has welcomed a new aerial fire fighting vehicle to its Sydney Airport Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) service.

The $820,000 vehicle provides safe and rapid access for aviation fire fighters to the upper decks of an A380 in the event of an emergency incident.

Local ARFF instructors will be the first to receive training on the new vehicle this week, while remaining crews will be trained over the coming months.

General Manager ARFF, Andrew Rushbrook, said that the high-tech vehicle was a valuable addition to the fleet and enabled fire fighters to offer the highest protection to the flying public.

"The new vehicle will allow our fire fighters to quickly and safely access the upper decks of an A380 to provide assistance to passengers in an emergency," Mr Rushbrook said.

"It joins a fleet of specialist fire vehicles and water rescue craft based at Sydney Airport."

Vehicle training will coincide with Sydney Airport fire fighters carrying out realistic aviation rescue and fire fighting exercises that involve the creation of large amounts of smoke and flame.

The new aerial vehicle has a turntable ladder for ease of climbing and a platform (basket) that can carry two to three fire fighters. It can reach up to 30 metres or extend out sideways fully-loaded past 16 metres. It also allows a monitor or fire hose to be used from an elevated position in fire fighting operations.

Sydney Airport currently handles 60 A380 movements weekly, making it one of the busiest A380 airports in the world.

Airservices has thanked the New South Wales Fire Brigades for the generous loan of a turntable ladder they used to meet operational needs during Sydney Airport's introduction of regular A380 services, pending the arrival of the aerial vehicle.

The vehicles are the same yellowish-green as the Rosenbauer Mark 8 fire fighting vehicles introduced into service nationally last year. All vehicles used by ARFF will transition into the new high visibility colour scheme over the next few years.

For images of the vehicle or more information please contact
Airservices Media on
02 6257 2828 or
email [email protected]

SOURCE: Airservices