A Guide for Building, Maintaining, and Improving ARFF Programs

Aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) services are crucial and required for the safe operation of Part 139 certificated airports. Many ARFF departments depend on passing knowledge and experience from leader to leader and/or firefighter to firefighter. While Federal Aviation Regulations and guidance focus on operating procedures, training requirements, and equipment requirements, U.S. airports could benefit from guidelines for developing or managing an ARFF department. These guidelines could include resources for leadership development, mentorship enhancement, training program development, etc. The objective of this research is to provide guidelines for U.S. airports to establish or maintain and improve existing operationally ready ARFF programs. The guidelines must, at a minimum, (1) address airport requirements for all ARFF indexes including index-specific guidance, (2) provide documentation resources for airport sponsors that meets or exceeds regulatory requirements, (3) provide a comprehensive review and database of current practices U.S. airports are using to meet regulatory requirements and maintain an operationally ready ARFF program, and (4) include an executive summary for airport executives and leadership, including an overview of ARFF regulatory requirements. As part of this objective, a complementary WebResource that provides an overview of ARFF response and recommended training resources for mutual aid providers must be developed.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5407
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $500000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 04-34

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Airport Cooperative Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC    20001

  Federal Aviation Administration

  800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20591
• Project Managers:

  Griffin, Matthew

• Start Date: 20231120
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Airports; Best practices; Firefighters; Inspection; Safety programs; Search and rescue operations; Training
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Aviation; Education and Training; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01854716
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 04-34
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Aug 16 2022 2:21PM