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Message from the Editor: Chief Rick Wilson
Fiscally Responsible Training for ARFF Crews
Training firefighters - especially airport firefighters - can be a costly endeavor. Mandated training set by regulatory agencies has placed a strain on operating budgets across the country. New advancements in technology with aircraft, fuels, equipment, terminals and on the airfield create a challenge for ARFF crews just to keep up.
Responding to emergency situations with a well-prepared and experienced crew is always the goal. As returning our responders home safely after each shift is our top priority, training has become even more essential in developing our personnel into an effective team.
Good planning and smart utilization of all available resources can keep us remaining fiscally responsible.
Planning is the key to successful training. Having a good understanding of objectives and requirements and developing a plan and utilizing some of the ICS and NIMS protocols to develop a training plan will help to keep things on track.
Resources come in all shapes and sizes. Understanding and utilizing them correctly is critical to a good training program. Personnel on shift have a vast array of experience and knowledge that you can tap into. Computer based training can be an invaluable resource. Live fire training of any sort, whether it be local structural facilities, fossil fuel burn facilities, or LPG facilities all have their benefits when it comes to gaining hands on experience. As firefighters, we must be cautious when evaluating the benefits of different types of training. What works for one doesn't always work for all.
Understanding what resources are available and utilizing best practices when allocating those resources is critical to the cost effective success of our training program. Good planning accompanied by standardization of documentation will help us develop plans for the future which will keep us ahead of technology and accountable to the high cost of training. The ARFF training facility located at Pittsburgh International Airport has strived to keep the cost of annual live fire training at an affordable level. Balancing the increasing cost of fuels, environmental security and maintenance related costs while continuing to provide the highest levels of training possible has been difficult, but not insurmountable. We will continue to work with airports to meet their needs and take pride in being a leader in the industry.
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Sign up for 2008 Training Classes!
Training classes are held: January-July and August-December. To register, click the appropriate month, print and fill out then submit the registration form. For more information about the class call (412) 472-5758 or email jharkins@pitairport.com. (Payment Policy and 2008 Rates)
At ARFF Pittsburgh, we offer a variety of courses and class schedules to prepare students for numerous fire safety situations. Some of the courses we offer include:
- Annual Training
- ARFF Training
- 8 hour recurrent training
- 16 hour ARFF training
- Confined Space Training
- Hazardous Materials
- NIMS / ICS
You can customize your training. We will design your training around your airport emergency needs. |
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Sign up for AAAE Classes
AAAE basic and advanced classes will be held September 22nd thru 26th. For registration information and rates, contact Dorn Sanders at AAAE 703-824-0500, ext. 151 or email at dorn.sanders@aaae.org. |
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Pittsburgh Fire Chief Darryl Jones shares his experiences
Passionately recalling the highlights of his life and career, Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Chief Darryl E. Jones addressed the Spring 2008 AAAE ARFF Conference participants and instructors.
City of Pittsburgh's Fire Chief Darryl E. Jones shared his life experiences with students and instructors at the Fire Fighters' Spring 2008 AAAE Conference. Chief Jones dramatically combined becoming the first African-American fire chief of the Pittsburgh fire bureau, over 20 years serving as a fire fighter, captain and eventually chief in the Aliquippa City Fire Department with his personal triumphs of earning his business degree from Carlow College, a master's degree in public management from Carnegie Mellon University and completing the Executive Fire Officer Program at the United States Fire Administration/National Fire Academy. Chief Jones also shared vivid details listing challenging moments he experienced early in his career which have driven his success and achievements. His most memorable moment with Pittsburgh International Airport occured when, as a captain with Aliquippa's Fire Department, Jones responded to the crash of US Airways flight #427 on September 8, 1994.
Fire Chief Jones was able to present an inspirational closing to the week-long conference by sharing so much of himself and communicating on a down-to-earth level, allowing each person in the room to connect with his experiences. |
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AAAE Recognizes Captain Tom Morris, Deputy Chief Brian Colella and Lieutenant Matt Eicher
There are only eight Certified Master Firefighters (C.M.F.) recognized by AAAE in the country and Captain Tom Morris is now one of them.
On April 18, 2008, Tom received his certification after completing his C.M.F. exam and writing a paper on the START (Simple Triage and Rapid Transport) program. He presented the paper at the AAAE/ARFFWG ARFF Chiefs school in February in Orlando, Florida.
Deputy Chief Brian Colella and Lieutenant Matt Eicher completed the study and written exam portions of the program to receive their Certified Firefighter (C.F.)certifications and became two of 120 Certified Firefighters recognized by AAAE in the country.
Congratulations to all.
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Captain Tom Morris Retires
After 27 years of service to the Pittsburgh International Airport Fire Rescue department, Captain Tom Morris retired on May 22, 2008.
Tom was the only remaining Captain with the Allegheny County Airport Authority Fire Department stationed at Pittsburgh International Airport.
Tom, along with the other officers in the department, supervised a shift of eight to 14 firefighters and was responsible for the daily operation of the station as well as commanding the scene of a wide range of aircraft, structural, EMS, and Hazardous Materials incidents. Tom's responsibilities also included firefighter training as well as coordinating the efforts of the Line Officers toward Departmental goals.
Tom is a certified as Firefighter II and Fire Instructor I and also holds an AAAE ARFF Certified Master Fire Fighter (C.M.F.) Certification. He has been a staff instructor at the FAA's Regional Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting Training Facility for the last three years.
Captain Tom will be missed by the department, the instructors at the Fire training facility and the airport community. |
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Spring AAAE Comes to Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh had the pleasure of hosting intermediate and basic level firefighters for the first time this past spring when the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) brought airport firefighters from around the country here for training.
From April 14 through April 18, 2008, firefighters trained on lifting of aircraft in an emergency situation with large airbags, similar to an inter-tube in a car tire.
Students from airports around the country participated in the extensive week-long classes. The classes included the Courage to be Safe Program and the popular night burn class.
Guest instructors included the county Bomb squad who spoke about airport security, John Fiorita of US Airways, who supplied an Airbus 319 for a smoke scenario, Bill Ruth and Nelson Miller from the P.A. State Fire Academy and Daryl Jones, Fire Chief for the City of Pittsburgh.
Several members of the Fire Rescue Department facilitated as our own staff instructors. |
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Airport Firefighters Train at County Fire Academy 
 In March, Pittsburgh International Airport firefighters conducted structural training at the Allegheny County Fire Academy (ACFA) in North Park.
Airport Firefighters must be trained and aware of hazards, not only when dealing with aircraft emergencies, but also in their community.
Pittsburgh International Airport sits on 13,000 acres, the equivalency of 20 square miles. Firefighters train in building construction of Hangars, Hotels, Passenger terminal area and the fuel farms, so that they can provide a quick and efficient response to any emergency.
The Pittsburgh International Fire Rescue Department responds to an average of 600 structural incidents each year. |
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ARFF in the news!
The Allegheny County Airport Authority Fire Department has been making headlines! Click here to read the article in the Beaver County Times!
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For more information, contact Jeanine Harkins:
P: (412) 472-5871
E: jharkins@pitairport.com
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