Aviation Firefighters Jobs

With an airport as busy as it is, all the planes and people coming and going, who do they call when there is a dangerous incident that involves chemicals or fire? They call the fire department, that’s who, but since the fire department couldn’t respond very quickly to an airport incident, the airport has their own separate mini fire department. These firefighters are called aviation firefighters. When we take a close look at these firefighters we get a little more understanding of their jobs and how different they really are. Although they get the same level of first aid training, there are some major differences that are very noticeable if you ever get to see some of these aviation firefighters in action.

Since a large number of plane accidents occur over water, the aviation firefighters must have the ability to aid in the situation, quickly by use of mobile vehicles as well as watercraft. While aiding in the evacuation of people under life threatening conditions, they must have the ability to remain calm, while making immediate decisions in the best interest of each situation. They have knowledge and skills of first aid that are far above basic, and are required to maintain proper certification during the length of their jobs. Most of the equipment they use is equal to standard firefighting equipment, but they also use some tools and chemicals designed for more advanced fires and situations. They have an understanding of and an ability to use a wide variety of advanced equipment along with the usual hoses, foam sprayers, and machines. They must also know how to maintain and care for all fire vehicles and working equipment.

These aviation firefighters must keep in mind the necessity of protecting the environment as well people. They are well versed in what course of actions would best suit the current conditions in case of an emergency. During the normal hustle and bustle of the airports daily activities, these firefighters are manning the Fire Control Center at each respective airport. They are the ones that make sure safety rules and regulations are being followed while also being ready to respond in an emergency. They observe the arrivals and departures of all incoming and outgoing aircraft, to make sure safety is being kept in mind. Another job performed by them is the inspections concerning fire safety and inspections of all fire alarms within the airport. These firefighters usually have their hands full with all the buzzing airport activity. They are also responsible for educating the airport employees on any new changes that are made to fire safety routines or practices, and must conduct drills systematically to ensure everyone’s safety in the event of an emergency.

Not only are these firefighters required to be physically fit, they must be able to swim and dive with an underwater breathing apparatus. The physical requirements are quite intense, due to the nature of the job and the type of crises that they have to respond to. To know the aviation firefighters is to appreciate them.