Aviation Fire Fighters Train At Sydney Airport

MEDIA ADVISORY No: 18/09


Aviation fire fighters train at Sydney Airport

Airservices Australia is this week conducting realistic aviation rescue and fire fighting exercises at Sydney Airport involving the creation of large amounts of flame and smoke.

Airservices spokesman Rob Walker said airport users and the public should not be alarmed by smoke, fire or an unusually high number of emergency vehicle movements.

Airservices provides Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) services at 21 of Australia's busiest airports.

Fire fighters receive theoretical and practical training in fighting aircraft and structural fires. They also practise aviation rescue techniques and dealing with highly flammable aviation fuels.

Mr Walker said refresher training was undertaken on a regular basis to ensure compliance with international aviation standards and operational readiness.

"Our fire fighters are there to protect the public in the unlikely event things go wrong at major airports. They respond to a host of different incidents every day ranging from medical emergencies to building fire alarms and aircraft emergencies," he said.

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

Airservices has one of the largest and most professional ARFF services in the world, with more than 700 fire fighters.

Airservices operates highly specialised fire fighting and rescue trucks and equipment, including water rescue boats at airports with large areas of water nearby.

The service also 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 of arrival at an emergency.


Note to editors: These training sessions are closed to media. For other enquiries or an image of ARFF training exercises call 02 6257 2828 or email [email protected]



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