Timehri fire station receives new airport rescue tender

A modern airport rescue and fire fighting vehicle was yesterday handed over to the Timehri Fire Station to boost its capacity to tackle aircraft fires at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

The new airport rescue and fire fighting vehicle in operation during a demonstration yesterday. (Photo by Zoisa Fraser)

The Rosenbauer Panther 6×6 Crash Tender, which was acquired at a cost of $177M, complements two others which are about 16 years old and are only able to achieve approximately 40% of their efficiency.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony yesterday, Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle said the new acquisition is only the fourth of its kind in the Caribbean; airports in Venezuela, Barbados and Saint Lucia were previous recipients. Gentle described it as a modern piece of fire fighting equipment that would offer increased protection to passengers using the airport. Gentle said the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has been making positive strides towards improving the service to the public as well as securing, through fire protection, assets critical to the development of the nation. He noted that the aviation industry plays an important role in the nation’s development and as such the GFS through the government has been systematically improving its resource capability in this sector.

The CJIA, he stressed, is considered a high-risk area because of the risk of fire relative to the low ignition temperature of aviation fuel and the high mortality rate when considering aircraft construction. He said it is therefore necessary to have specialised equipment and vehicles on hand.

Gentle noted that aerodrome fire fighting, because of its nature and complexity, does not only require vehicles but also training. He later called for a close collaboration between related agencies adding that he hoped the relationship fostered between the GFS and the airport authorities though a memorandum of understanding signed in 2007 will be strengthened and improved upon as development progresses.

Fire Chief Marlon Gentle (left) collects the keys to the Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting Vehicle (seen in the background) from Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee. Also in the picture is Owner of Roraima Airways Captain Gerry Gouveia.

Gentle also assured the gathering that the new crash tender will be used and be properly maintained and he said the GFS would work closely with the airport, the Civil Aviation Authority and other related agencies to this end. “We will care and maintain it and it will be there to serve the needs of the airport,” he said.

Meanwhile, delivering the feature address, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee noted that the handing over came on the heels of last week’s commissioning of the Fire Station at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice. He said that the crash tender is an expensive vehicle but the government took into account its necessity to the operations of the GFS. He said that the timely response of the fire service depends on the type of equipment and the level of training of the fire fighters. He expressed hope that the vehicle would be cared.

Owner of Roraima Airways, Captain Gerry Gouveia, who was also present, expressed appreciation for the vehicle, stressing that it would give pilots and passengers a feeling of comfort especially when landing.

During the commissioning, Station Officer Joseph McDonald said the vehicle, which holds up to six persons, has water carrying capacity of 12,500 litres and a foam capacity of 15,000 litres. The dry powder section, he said, accommodates 225 kilogrammes.

He explained that the vehicle has two monitors, one on the roof and the other on the bumper. According to McDonald, the roof monitor can discharge 5,000 litres per minute as far as 73 metres. It can also rotate at 270 degrees. The bumper monitor has a foam output of 1,500 litres per minute which can go as far as 43 metres while the dry chemical can be discharged at two litres per minute. Mc Donald also said that there are three nozzles underneath the vehicles which discharge water to protect the wheels during a fire. These rotate at 180 degrees. Further, the vehicle’s hoses have an output of 5,800 litres per minute.

Stabroek News was told that there has not yet been any need for the crash tenders but they are used in drills which are done randomly twice a month in collaboration with the airport.

The GFS commenced airport fire protection on January 1, 1969 when it relieved the Civil Aviation Department Aerodrome Fire Service. All airports are categorised from one to ten and with the acquisition of this new crash tender the airport could be upgraded from category seven to nine.