Why are airport fire engines different?

You may know that airports have their own separate types of fire trucks, but what makes these aircraft firefighting trucks so different from municipal fire trucks? The first major difference is the higher amount of water that an ARFF truck carries compared to a municipal truck.

Why are airport fire trucks so different?

The difference largely comes down to weight. Some of these trucks are so heavy, that if they are at or near top speed, they only have one good ‘breaking’ in their brakes before they over-heat and have to be repaired. Airport crash trucks are tremendously heavy, because they have to carry their water with them.

Why do airport vehicles look different?

Airport emergency equipment vehicles are designed as ‘all-terrain’ type vehicles for that very reason. Look at the front of any one of them and you’ll notice they have an angled engine guard pan to enable them to travel over very rough terrain without damaging the engine pan.

Do airports have their own firefighters?

Yes, most airports have one or more fire stations. This area of firefighting is commonly referred to as ARFF – Aircraft rescue and firefighting (don’t worry about the second ‘F’; sometimes we are bad at acronyms in the fire service). ARFF includes specialized trucks and specifically trained firefighters.

What are airport fire engines called?

airport crash tender
An airport crash tender (known in some countries as an airport fire appliance) is a specialised fire engine designed for use in aircraft rescue and firefighting at aerodromes, airports, and military air bases.

Why are airport firetrucks yellow?

Because yellow/green has been shown to be more visible than red, especially in low light conditions. Yellow/green is also more easily identified by people with colour blindness and other visual disorders. It’s the same reason that safety vests are yellow/green.

What are airport fire trucks called?

Why are airport fire engines green?

Red wasn’t the only color used, however. Before it merged with the force in Manhattan, the Brooklyn Fire Department painted its apparatus a two-tone green to distinguish them from the red apparatus of the Metropolitan Fire Department.

Why are fire engines painted yellow-green?

They suggested the predominant color scheme on United States fire apparatus change from red to lime-yellow, reasoning that yellow-green is an easy color for the human eye to discern in both day/night lighting conditions, as well as providing contrast with typical backgrounds.

What do firefighters do at airports?

In this role, your responsibilities are to travel throughout the airport as quickly as possible, rescue passengers from an aircraft during a fire, and suppress fires inside an aircraft, at an airport, or on the ground. Other duties include inspecting and maintaining all firefighting, rescue, and safety equipment.

What are airport firefighters called?

Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting
The Federal Aviation Administration requires airport fire departments to answer those calls as part of Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting, commonly known as ARFF. But these first responders handle much more than fires or crashes involving airplanes and passengers, which are thankfully rare.