Aviation Fire Fighters Graduate Into Service

Aviation Fire Fighters Graduate into Service

Airservices Australia has today welcomed 17 aviation rescue fire fighters into service at a graduation ceremony at the Airservices Learning Academy in Melbourne.

The new recruits will be deployed to Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne and Rockhampton airports.

All have undergone an intensive ten week training course to join Airservices Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) Service. The training includes theoretical and practical training in fighting aircraft and structural fires, as well as aviation rescue techniques and dealing with the hazards posed by highly flammable aviation fuels.

Airservices Chief Fire Officer Peter Smith said that Airservices has one of the largest, most highly trained, professional aviation fire and rescue service in the world.

"These new recruits will use their skills to help protect the flying public in the unlikely event things go wrong at major airports," Mr Smith said.

"With significant passenger growth at regional airports and the introduction of larger aircraft, we are seeing increased needs for a greater ARFF presence at many airports around the country.

"These new recruits will join a national fire fighting service of over 700 professional fire fighters who respond to a host of different incidents every day. This ranges from medical emergencies to building fire alarms and aircraft emergencies."

On average aviation fire fighters are called out around 150 times a week across Australia's 21 busiest regional, domestic and international airports. In the past two years they have saved more than 20 lives.

The new recruits have trained extensively on Airservices highly specialised fire fighting and rescue trucks and equipment. They will receive ongoing training in the use of off-road vehicles and water rescue boats at their new stations.

The service operates the largest fire fighting vehicles in Australia high visibility Mk8 Ultra-Large Fire Vehicles which can discharge almost 9000 litres of water within two minutes on arrival at an emergency.

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Airservices Australia is a Government owned organisation responsible for the safe and efficient management of air traffic across 11 per cent of the world's air space. Services include air traffic control, airspace management, aeronautical information, radar communications, radio navigation aids, aviation maintenance and engineering, environmental management and aviation rescue and firefighting.


SOURCE: Airservices Australia