Last night a ATC asked why we stand by in mid field not at the Crash station. Im wondering are the for real or is most of the ATC's wonder why we sit and wait for something to happen, their main question was why not just pull the truck to the gate just outside the bay to stand by for the aircraft???
How do you all perform your standby duties??? near the active??? sitting at the station??? or just there and never thought about it???
our stand-by for an Alert one is pull the vehicals out of the station onto the apron
Alert Two we have an ARFF vehical(if there is time) set up at the approch end of the runway, an ARFF vehical at the departure end of the runway, and the third ARFF vehical,and OIC at midfield. Engine ,tower and medic unit stage by the firestation.all ARFF vehicals will have clearance to follow the aircraft as it passes their setup location
Alert three, we go right to the aircraft, beings that it is already on the ground
At Buffalo we try to have the approach ,midfield , and departure ends as stand by locations BUT maintain a readiness to change locations..i.e. the Iowa crash we have a Snozzle 3000gal F-6 ; T-12 -F-4 , a Stryker F-5 ;a pumper F-3 and a Rescue F-7 also the Captain's Command truck F-10
what do you have??
we do about 300-350 departures and arrivals a day with a pax count at about 5 million.
If we are at the Station or Apron it is that much longer to arrive on-scene and where we are In Buffalo we have had a "little" snow which could delay our response
Al, I have to agree, haveing the flexability to adjust setup locations depending on the nature of the emergency is needed. Seeing the DC-10 in Sioux City did make me realize that the guys sitting at midfield better be ready to get out of the way QUICK, and keeping all your eggs in one basket there might be risky. We've set up like that in the past, and haveing another vehical behind me was just a bit unnerving. I like to be ready to put it in reverse in a hurry if need be.
BWI (Baltimore/Washington Int.) is a D index airport. According to thier website we have 800 daily opperations(landing/takeoffs), and had 21 mil passengers in 2007
We run two e-one titans (3000 gal) , one oshkosh TI 3000, and one TI 3000 in reserve. we also have a tower, engine, and two medic units with crews, and the OIC.
Permalink Reply by DUST on September 2, 2008 at 5:52pm
Next time ask the ATC why he doesn't stay in his car in the parking lot and work the aircraft:)