PHOENIX REGIONAL
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
SKY HARBOR RESPONSE AVIATION EMERGENCIES
M.P. 205.13 12/12-R Page 1 of 5
PURPOSE
The purpose of this procedure is to establish guidelines for the response of fire department personnel
and equipment to aircraft emergency situations occurring at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
The procedure outlines responsibilities for both on and off airport fire personnel and details dispatch
terminology, apparatus response, standby locations, and staging areas.
DISPATCH TERMINOLOGY
Aircraft emergencies are broken down into three categories: Alert 1, Alert 2 and Alert 3. These
categories are defined by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to provide standard descriptions
and terminology for aircraft emergencies.
Alert 1: Indicates an aircraft is having minor difficulties (i.e., minor oil leak; one engine out on a three or
four-engine commercial aircraft or one engine out on a two-engine general aviation aircraft; fire warning
lights; etc.). A safe landing is expected.
Alert 2: Indicates that an aircraft is having major difficulties (i.e., a positive indication of fire on board the
aircraft; faulty landing gear; no hydraulic pressure; engine failure on a two-engine large aircraft; etc.). A
difficult or crash landing may be expected.
Alert 3: Indicates that an aircraft has crashed on or off the airport, or there is a high probability the
aircraft will crash, or the pilot has indicated that the aircraft landing gear will not work and, therefore, the
pilot will have to crash land on the airport.
SKY HARBOR RESPONSE - AVIATION EMERGENCIES
The type of fire department response at Sky Harbor will be dictated by a fire captain at Sky Harbor
Airport Fire Station #19. The captain will assess the information he/she has received from the FAA
Control Tower or other source, and direct fire Dispatch to send the appropriate level of alert response.
In all cases, the captain will take a pessimistic view and select the alert level most appropriate for the
expected problems.
An Alert 1 = ARF Response, consisting of: Foam 1, Foam 2, Foam 3, Attack 19, E19 and BC19.
An Alert 2 = ARF2-1 Response, consisting of: Foam 1, Foam 2, Foam 3, Attack 19, E19, BC19, three
(3) off-airport engine companies ( one (1) which will be A.L.S.), one (1) ladder company.
An Alert 3 = ARF1A Response, consisting of: Foam 1, Foam 2, Foam 3, Attack 19, E19, BC19, four (4)
off-airport engine companies (two (2) of which will be A.L.S.), Support 8, two (2) ladder companies (one
(1) will be a platform), one (1) utility truck, one (1) Command Van (CV-1), three (3) rescues, and 6 (6)
additional Battalion Chiefs, SDC, NDC.
PHOENIX REGIONAL
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
SKY HARBOR RESPONSE AVIATION EMERGENCIES
M.P. 205.13 12/12-R Page 2 of 5
STAFF REDUCTIONS
Squad19 / Attack 19 serves as the same crew with capabilities of two different apparatus. Squad 19 is
a smaller more mobile unit for dispatches to medical, car fires, and special duty calls. Attack 19 is a
foam truck for use with fuel spills and alerts. If Squad 19 / Attack 19 is dispatched on another call, along
with E19, this causes a significant reduction of available personnel for aircraft emergencies at the
airport. In this case, the alert assignment should be increased to cover for staff reductions.
RESPONSE AND STANDBY POSITIONS
On Alert 1's -- Station 19 with Foam 2 out of Station 29 will handle the emergencies along with
Battalion19, Foam 1, Foam 2, Foam 3, Attack 19 and E19, and will respond to their ARFF staging
locations along the runway.
On Alert 2's -- Foam 1, Foam 2, Foam 3, Attack 19 and E19, BC19, will respond to their ARFF staging
locations along the runway. Off-airport units will respond to Gate 118 - east of Fire Station 29 (3949 E.
Air Lane), Level II staging.
On Alert 3's -- Foam 1, Foam 2, Foam 3, Attack 19 and E19, BC19, will respond to the crash site. All
off-airport units will also respond directly to the crash site, unless Command directs them to a level two
staging area -- Gate 118, east of Fire Station 29 (3949 E. Air Lane). The Battalion chief will respond
directly to the crash site and assume Sky Harbor Command. Sky Harbor Airport ARFF staging locations
in general are:
Foam 1 will be near the west-end of the runway.
Foam 2 will be near east-end of the runway; and
Foam 3 will be near the mid-point of the runway;
Attack 19, E19, & BC19 will stage near the midpoint of the runway with Foam 3.
Each position will be at least 500 feet away from the runway.
STAGING
The first off-airport unit to arrive at the staging location will assume staging sector responsibilities and
announce "staging." Additional equipment will be assembled in an organized manner. Command may
relocate staging as needed. All radio communications will use the radio designation "staging."
PHOENIX REGIONAL
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
SKY HARBOR RESPONSE AVIATION EMERGENCIES
M.P. 205.13 12/12-R Page 3 of 5
TACTICAL BENCHMARKS
Below listed are tactical benchmarks to consider for any type of aircraft accident.
1. The first arriving unit should assume command and determine if the flight crew has initiated
emergency evacuation procedures. Fire Department personnel should make every effort to prevent
an unnecessary evacuation by immediately contacting the flight crew and reporting exterior
conditions to them.
2. If emergency evacuation is in progress, assist evacuation of passengers and/or provide them a path
of egress, by discharging Class B foam only, from apparatus. Create a path through the burning
flammable liquid from the escape exit door to a safe area. If Class B foam is not available, use
large volumes of water. Protect the aircraft fuselage from direct flame impingement since fire can
burn through fuselage within 60 seconds. Ensure your own supply line. Master stream appliances
(Stang Guns) utilizing fog patterns; provide quick water in large volumes to protect passengers
during evacuation.
3. Deploy an attack line to the aircraft’s interior, without inhibiting passenger egress. Fire intensity will
require the use of 1-3/4" or 2" hand-lines, utilizing fog patterns.
4. Provide interior ventilation as soon as possible inside the aircraft. Fatalities in survivable aircraft
crashes are usually due to smoke inhalation. Use wide angle fog patterns from hand-lines to
ventilate. Positive Pressure Ventilation (PPV) is beneficial, however may not be initially expedient.
Pressurize from unburned area and provide ventilation exit in fire area. Ventilation should be started
at the same time as the attack lines are put into operation, if possible.
5. Aircraft have common attic spaces, large open cargo areas (in belly), and sidewalls that can have
running fires in these confined spaces. Consider using penetrating nozzles to reach fire in confined
spaces or any location where interior attack lines cannot be deployed.
6. Use ladders at the aircraft at the wing or other accessible points. Some aircraft may require aerial
ladders to reach access points.
7. Obtain primary and secondary all clears. Never assume absence of survivors.
8. Provide for interior lighting.
9. Request Police Department secures the scene and provides a holding area to assist in the control
of the ambulatory passengers.
10. Establish both fire and medical sectors as soon as possible. Designate sectors for both sides of the
aircraft to protect the escape routes and manage the evacuated passengers, assign sectors to
address scene lighting, extrication, treatment, transportation and site safety.
11. Consider establishing a branch level command system to address fire and medical operations
separately.
12. Ensure necessary amounts of foam extinguishing agents to amounts of flammable liquids on fire.
PHOENIX REGIONAL
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
SKY HARBOR RESPONSE AVIATION EMERGENCIES
M.P. 205.13 12/12-R Page 4 of 5
13. Maintain effective foam blanket to prevent ignition / re-ignition of fuel.
14. Maintain awareness of electricity generated by large aircraft, it is sufficient to seriously injure
personnel and/or ignite fuel sources.
15. Jagged metal from aircraft can cut through protective clothing and hose lines.
16. To gain access into the fuselage, use the wing area or a platform ladder truck to work from. The
optimum place to cut is around windows, doors, and roof area. Hydraulic powered tools (Hurst,
Holmatro, etc.) and pry bars do not work well on aircraft metals due to the lack of solid supports to
work against.
17. If saws are used for extrication or ventilation, arcing and sparking will need to be suppressed with
water/foam from hand lines. Maintain integrity of foam blanket on the flammable liquids. Be aware
that aircraft have numerous high pressure hydraulic lines that can cause serious injury if cut or
broken.
18. Ensure back-up crew/s with charged hose lines in place to protect all personnel who will be working
inside the spilled flammable liquid areas. All personnel working in these areas shall be fully turned
out with protective gear and S.C.B.A. face piece on.
19. Have police secure a route of ingress / egress, to permit emergency equipment, particularly
ambulances, unimpeded movement to / from the incident.
20. Do not allow any overhaul operations to take place until all investigative agencies are finished or
unless needed to suppress fire.
21. Large aircraft have oxygen cylinders on board that can explode, become missiles, and/or accelerate
the spread of fire.
22. Adopt a defensive mode of operation, as needed, to protect personnel and exposures.
23. Request the Alarm Room notify the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Notification can
be made contacting the FAA Air Traffic Control Tower at Sky Harbor Airport or by calling Sky
Harbor Communications at 273-3311.
24. Request the Alarm Room notify area hospitals, Salvation Army, Red Cross, County Emergency
Disaster Coordinator, C.I.D. Team and Sky Harbor Communication Center.
25. For off airport responses consider requesting ARFF foam trucks, Medical Support 19 or Foam 34, if
they have not been dispatched.
26. Have an airline representative report to the Command Post along with the liaison from the Police
Department, Aviation Department, and any other agency that can assist with the incident.
27. Send a fire department representative to staff the Airport Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
PHOENIX REGIONAL
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
SKY HARBOR RESPONSE AVIATION EMERGENCIES
M.P. 205.13 12/12-R Page 5 of 5
