IAFPA Winter 2012

The magazine for aviation firefighting & resilience professionals

IafpaBulletin

cbrn AT AIRPORTS

FIRE TRAINING AT Kraków AIRPORT

Profile of gatwick

airport’s fire service

JANUARY 2012

SEALED BID SALE$50,000,000+ OF AIRCRAFT,

SPARE PARTS & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTYSale Held on Behalf of

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INSPECTION: By Appointment Only

(8) LOCKHEED P-3 ORION AIRCRAFT: Configured as Aerial Firefighters

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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: TWIN 1,800 GALLON FUELTANK SYSTEM: Auxilliary Fuel Tank System for the C-130 HerculesRoll-On, Roll-Off Aerial Refueling Tank System

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: MAFFS II FOR THE C-130 HERCULES: Roll-On, Roll-Off Airborne Fire Fighting System

BID OPENING LOCATIONLIONS GATE HOTEL & CONFERENCE CENTER

3410 Westover StreetMcClellan (Sacramento), CA 95652

INSPECTION: By Appointment OnlyTo arrange for an inspection and to request the required

Sealed Bid Formcontact PMI at 713-691-4401 or email [email protected]

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: FIREHAWK TANK PRODUCT

PMI-Aero Union-ff.pdf 1 1/12/12 3:16 PM

Welcome to the winter edition of the IAFPA Bulletin. With the festive

period behind us we are looking for a very busy period during 2012 and beyond. But first, I would like to thank all of the

IAFPA membership and sponsors of our past events. A big thank you for your support over the past 12 years; without your support the IAFPA would not be a such a recognised global name in the ARFF industry. At the end of 2011 the IAFPA became

limited by guarantee and will now be known as the International Aviation Fire Protection Association Ltd. The board consists of a Chairman and

five Directors who will assist in the day-to-day running of the IAFPA, with Peter

Stephenson responsible for Finance. I am now full time on the IAFPA Bulletin and co-ordinate with Emily Hough, the IAFPA Bulletin Editor. The other Directors are listed below.

Over the coming months we are looking to take the IAFPA Bulletin to a new level and to be a research resource for our membership. Archived articles of all past articles will be made available to members and sponsors and searchable by author.Since our formation we have held

conferences around the globe including the UK, Malta, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Abu Dhabi, Australia, Singapore and Ireland. We are looking forward to a number

of events over the next three years, with Brazil planned for 2012. Negotiations are

underway for conferences planned in India and China for 2013 and 2014. As mentioned in our last issue, we have

entered into a partnership with Tangent Link an events and conference company with a strong reputation in Aero Space and Defence Expos.A number of changes have taken place

over the past 12 months and we are updating our contact database to reflect this. However, should you have any news of new contacts, let us know. Also of interest are people on the move so that we can keep our readers abreast of changes.In conclusion I would like to wish you

all a happy new year and look forward to meeting up with you in 2012.

Colin Simpson describes the International Aviation Fire Protection Association’s plans for the year ahead

IAFPA BULLETIN January 2012 3

chairman

Welcome to this issue

Colin Simpson:John Trew:

Peter Stephenson: Colin Murray:

Cletus Packiam: Andrew Werner:

Paulo BarradasPeter McMahon:

ChairmanDirectorDirectorDirectorDirectorDirectorFunctional ManagerWebsite Manager

IAFPA BULLETIN is published four times a year for the International Aviation Fire

Protection Association by FireNet International (www.fire.org.uk)

Copyright 2011 FireNet International Ltd [email protected]

For editorial enquiries, please contact: Emily Hough, Editor: [email protected]

IAFPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

iafpabULLETIN

Director John Trew

Vice President Falck (UK)

Director Cletus Packiam,

Chief Airport Emergency Services

(AES) at Changi Airport

Director Andrew WernerAssistant Chief Fire

Officer with Air Services Australia

Director Colin Murray

Head of Edinburgh Airport Fire Training

Centre

Director Peter Stephenson

Independent Fire Engineering Consultant

Cover picture: Eddie Howland (see page 23)

4 IAFPA BULLETIN January 2012

NEWSUS Marines train to keep airfield safe

RUSSIA RIVER CRASHSafety standards called into question after plane crashes into river during take-off

6

14

CONTENTs

Photos: Eddie Cowland; Kraków

Airport; EMERCO

M of Russia; Lance Cpl.Cory D

. Polom, U

S Marine Corps; Edinburgh Airport Fire Training Centre; Rex

NEWS P.6EASA consultation document issued; FAA evaluates next generation high-reach extendable turrets; cupcake debacle at US airport; and landing gear failure in Warsaw

NEWS EXTRA P.11Behind the scenes: IAFPA Bulletin talks to Eddie Howland, the photographer behind this issue’s front cover, and other photos of Gatwick’s recent CBRN exercise

RUSSIA RIVER CRASH P.14Lina Kolesnikova says the safety of smaller regional airports and airlines – vital to Russia’s far flung areas – is under scrutiny

GATWICK AIRPORT P.18It is nearly two years since Gatwick Airport was sold to GIP. How has the Fire Service been affected by this change of ownership? Emily Hough talks to Phil Rowsell and Barry Alderslade to find out

30FUTURE DEMANDS

A look at how shifts in demographics and the

changing nature of aircraft are influencing vehicle design

OFF AIRPORT EXERCISEIAFPA reports on a multi-agency airport emergency exercise in Poland

MANILA INCIDENT P.12On December 10, a shantytown in Paranaque, just outside Manila in the Phil-ippines, was badly damaged and 16 people died when a light cargo aircraft crashed into houses and a school, triggering a blaze that raged across an area of 2,000 square metres. Emily Hough looks at how this incident has once more highlighted the vulnerability of informal settlements located next to busy urban airports


CONTENTs

BORDER CONTROL Questions of national security in the United Kingdom

28

CBRN THREATS P.24Andy Oppenheimer says that although there are challenges to deploying CBR devices, even crude ones, those involved in aviation rescue and response must be aware of potential vulnerabilities

BORDER CONTROL P.28Recent events at the UK’s Border Control Agency pose national security questions for the UK, contends Chris Yates

TESTING KRAKÓW’S EMERGENCY RESPONSE P.30 Kraków Airport has recently completed its first ever emergency exercise to take place beyond the airport’s boundaries. IAFPA Bulletin reports

TRAINING AND EVENTS P.32Fire Training in Scotland; Understanding crowd behaviour; Training in Asia; Malaysia Security; and Airborne early warning

32

CBRN EXERCISEMass decontamination exercise at Gatwick Airport

24

TRAINING AND EVENTSA world round-up of firefighting, fire safety, resilience and security seminars and training events

board computer indicated a hydraulic fault. Air Force planes circling the aircraft provided visual confirmation that the gear had not extended so, after circling Warsaw and dumping fuel for an hour, the Captain had to land without it.

Passengers were told to assume the brace position and the plane landed on its belly, cushioned by a carpet of flame retardant foam aimed at preventing a fire. Reports say a small blaze did break out after the plane skidded to a halt, but the flames were rapidly extinguished. Passengers were evacuated via the emergency slides.


TAIWAN: Seven early-morning flights from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport were disrupted briefly after a fire in an X-ray baggage scanner in Terminal 2. A detector alerted aviation police, which notified the fire department as well as Taoyuan International Airport Corp. The fire was extinguished at about 07:00hrs.

No fatalities or injuries were reported but the X-ray scanner was severely damaged. The airport also had to close the boarding gate where the scanner was located while water discharge from the sprinkler system was mopped up.

Warsaw: Fire engines and emergency vehicles surround a LOT Polish airlines Boeing 767 after it made an emergency landing at Warsaw’s airport

PILOT LANDS PLANE ON BED OF FOAM POLAND: A pilot has credited his experience flying gliders with helping him land a Boeing 767 with landing gear problems at Warsaw Airport. Captain Lukasz Wrona was forced to take action as the flight from Newark, New Jersey, USA, experienced trouble when coming into land. According to Polish national flag carrier LOT, the operator of the plane, the hydraulic system responsible for operating the wing flaps and the landing gear failed, and a back-up system worked for the flaps only.

The Captain tried to extend the landing gear several times after the on-

NEWS

HAZARDOUS MEDICAL UNIT PLANS FOR GATWICK

Rex Features

UK: Planning permission is being sought for a temporary ambulance station to be used as a base for a Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) near Gatwick Airport.

The South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust wants to use the site for five years while a permanent base is constructed.

In its application, the Ambulance Service explains that the HART programme focuses on provision of clinical response within the inner cordon of CBRN events, especially those

involving terrorist attacks. The HART ambulance station is planned to provide a response to major incidents at Gatwick Airport “And other major incidents where breathing apparatus is required.” It will also meet obligations to support the London 2012 Olympics.

When not responding to HART or Olympic accidents, the station will provide operational support for other incidents in the region. It is envisaged that 42 staff would be employed and 15 emergency response vehicles be in use at the site.

SCANNER BLAZE

SECURITY STEPPED UP AT AIRPORTS

PAKISTAN: Security has been beefed up at the country’s airports, railway stations and other important installations to prevent terrorist attacks, according to Pakistan Today and several other news outlets (www.pakistantoday.com.pk)

The paper reports sources claiming that the Interior Ministry had sent a letter to the Civil Aviation Authority and other departments concerned, stating: “Airports, railway stations, offices of security agencies and other federal institutions are the target of terrorists. Security should be beefed up at all the said points and steps for foolproof security arrangements should be taken. Small planes could be used for suicide attacks on airports.”

After receiving the letter, the authorities took stringent security measures at airports and deployed special forces there to assist the Airport Security Force (ASF), according to the newspaper. Intelligence agencies have also been ordered to be remain on alert.

Security agencies have installed anti-aircraft weapons at airports and snipers have been deployed on runways.


news

LIVE AMMO IN BAGUSA: A man from Gresham in Oregon has been accused of sneaking 500 rounds of ammunition in his carry-on bag onto a Continental Airlines flight leaving Portland International Airport, reports kptv.com.

The bullets were not discovered until the passenger tried to board another flight at the Guam International Airport on October 24, as first reported by KUAM News.

The passenger, who holds a passport from the Federated States of Micronesia, wrapped the boxes of bullets in tape so Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents would not detect them, according to court documents. It is not believed the passenger intended to cause harm, according to an FBI spokesman. The passenger indicated to agents the .22 calibre bullets were not available for retail sale in Chuuk, his final destination in the Federated States of Micronesia.

The passenger faces a charge of delivery of ammunition to a common carrier without notification. Under TSA regulations, ammunition is not allowed in carry-on luggage.

AVIATION REGULATION SHAKE-UP IN EUROPEEUROPE: In December 2011, The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published its Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) 2011-20 containing draft rules for the certification, management, operation and design of aerodromes.

Only airports open for commercial air transport with at least one paved runway of 800 metres or more are addressed in these proposals, says the EASA, commenting that currently the safety regulation of airports is underpinned by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) rules to which all EASA Member States already, by and large, adhere. Since there are no pre-existing EU-rules in this area, the NPA is closely based on the ICAO rules already in place.

Developed by working groups consisting of the full spectrum of concerned stakeholders, including airport operators, authorities and aviation industry representatives, EASA says it has been particularly attentive to the flexibility needed for implementation of the proposed rules. Instead of applying a one-size-fits-all approach, the agency has devised means to allow member states and airport operators to propose alternative compliance methods.

Commenting on the release of the NPA, EASA’s Executive Director, Patrick Goudou, said: “One of the goals of more harmonised regulation of airport operations is the prevention of ground collisions and runway incursions, which are still the cause of a disproportionate number of aviation accidents.”

Many aspects of the NPA involve fire and rescue services and emergency planning, including: equipment and installations; management and co-ordination of the emergency response plan (including details of any such plan’s structure); training and exercises; aerodrome emergency exercises; types of emergencies; agencies involved in emergencies; communication

systems; communication and alerting systems; RFFS levels of protection, training and medical standards; mobile command posts and emergency operations centres, response times; driver training; and numerous other aspects.

Following the closing of the NPA consultation, the Agency will consider all comments and will publish a Comment Response Document (CRD), which will be available on the agency’s website.

“The publication of this NPA is the first step of a fully transparent public consultation process,” says the EASA, “All comments will be reviewed and a response document will be made available for public consultation.”

The EASA will present a final opinion to the European Commission at the end of 2012; this will then launch the final process for the adoption of the rules.

The deadline for comments and feedback to this consultative document is March 31, 2012 and should be made via http://hub.easa.europa.eu/crt/, using the Comment Response Tool on the site.

INDIA: The online newspaper thehindu.com says that safety concerns have been raised over the dumping of garbage close to the eastern boundary wall of the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, and the City Corporation’s plan to deposit waste in a vacant plot close to the runway’s approach.

“We have found that dumping of waste near the approach to the runway and near the Ponnara bridge had increased after the garbage crisis aggravated in the city. Bird activities have also increased in the vicinity and it raises safety concerns,” a top official of the Airport Authority of India was quoted as saying.

RUBBISH DUMP RAISES BIRD FEARS NEAR AIRPORT

EASA poster courtesy the European Aviation Safety Agency

an A380 aircraft built to full scale in a 100-ft-diameter (30.48 metre) pool. The mock-up consisted of a 60-ft-long (18.28 metre) section of fuselage, part of a wing, an engine nacelle, and three slides attached to the fuselage to simulate interference to firefighting. The underbelly of the fuselage was about nine feet above the surface of the pool. The pool was partially filled with water and JP-8 was floated on the surface to create a flammable liquid surface of approximately 7,000 square feet (2,133 square metres).

In both the baseline configuration and with the 65-ft HRET installed, the FAA Striker passed all the vehicle performance checks, with the exception of the weight distribution and the body and chassis flexibility tests. For the weight distribution test, the baseline vehicle exceeded the maximum difference between axles by one per cent, and the vehicle with the HRET installed exceeded the maximum difference between axles by 1.6 per cent. For the body and chassis flexibility test, the baseline vehicle failed the tyre height requirement by eight inches (20.3 centimetres), and the vehicle with the HRET installed failed the tyre height requirement by four inches (10.16 centimetres).

The electronic foam proportioning system met all requirements throughout the duration of the test and the HRET base nozzle exceeded the straight stream


FAA EVALUATES NEXT GENERATION HIGH-REACH EXTENDABLE TURRETS

USA: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) formally released a report on its tests and evaluation of the next generation, 65-foot (19.18 metre) high-reach extendable turrets (HRETs).

The Airbus A380 and other new large aircraft (NLA) present new challenges, says the FAA. Current 50-foot (15.24 metre) HRET models can only reach the second-level doorway of a Boeing 747 or Airbus A380 if the ARFF vehicle is positioned immediately adjacent to the fuselage, which eliminates visibility of the operator controlling the HRET. In the event of a fuel fire below the aircraft, the 50-ft HRET may not be long enough to facilitate penetration without putting the vehicle dangerously close to the fire.

Engine pylon location and the complex emergency slide arrangements are other challenges that NLA present, the FAA adds. The current HRET performance criteria were established over 15 years ago, and new performance criteria must be evaluated for the next-generation HRET to meet these new challenges.

The purpose of this research, say the authors, was to document the effects of the installation of the 65-ft HRET on the pre-delivery inspection (PDI) test of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Striker ARFF research vehicle (FAA Striker). Another key objective was to evaluate the performance and firefighting effectiveness of the 65-ft HRET in and around NLA.

The PDI checks accomplished on the baseline FAA Striker and on the FAA Striker after the 65-ft HRET was installed included maximum acceleration time, weight and weight distribution, top-speed, side-slope stability, brake stopping distance, body and chassis flexibility, dynamic balance, and evasive manoeuvring tests. The performance checks on the 65-ft HRET included base turret pattern and distance, foam concentration and quality, standoff distance measurements, timed deployment and penetration trials, boom oscillation measurement, and timed live fire tests.

HRET performance tests were carried out on a mock-up section of

NEWS

turret distance specification. From a bedded position, penetration

and agent discharge (using the HRET) into the lower passenger deck of the mock-up occurred in 54 seconds, into the upper passenger deck in 62 seconds, and into the cargo level in 80 seconds.

The maximum overshoot was observed in the HRET boom when the joystick was bumped rapidly to fast speed (full travel) and immediately released, for which an overshoot of about 15 feet (4.5 metres) was observed when the boom was fully extended. The report notes, however, that experienced operators were able to reposition the boom very quickly while avoiding extreme overshoot by use of the proportional control joystick.

Fires were controlled and extinguished faster when the base turret was used than when the tip turret was used.

The FAA Striker and the HRET were reliable and required only a few repairs throughout the tests. The report notes the only component that failed repeatedly was the hydraulic gearbox on the HRET.

In conclusion, the report says this research supports the removal of the base turret from the design and increasing the flow rate of the tip nozzle to a selectable low/high flow rate of 500 and 1000 gallons (1,892 to 3,785 metres)

The full report can be downloaded at www.faa.gov/airports/airport_safety/aircraft_rescue_fire_fighting/

Photo courtesy Boeing

New large aircraft, such as the Airbus A380 or the Boeing 787 (pictured here landing at Le Bourget, France) present new challenges, says the FAA, which has released its report into the next generation high-reach extendable turrets


news

COBRA CARGOAUSTRALIA: Eighteen new aviation rescue firefighters have been welcomed into service at Melbourne Airport.The recruits join more than 700 firefighters at the nation’s busiest airports after completing a 10-week training course at the Airservices Learning Academy in Melbourne and the organisation’s fire training ground in Sydney.

The Silver Axe Award, awarded to the most outstanding recruit, was presented by Chief Fire Officer Peter Smith to 33-year-old Stuart Sharp of Greensborough, Victoria.

The growth of aviation in regional areas will see three trainees posted to Townsville, three to Darwin and one

NEW ARFF FIREFIGHTERS WELCOMED

THAILAND: During the horrific floods that swept across Thailand in October, inundating vast tracts of land and towns and threatening the capital city itself, operators of the Suvarnabhumi Airport outlined the measures taken to ensure that the airport would be unaffected by the rising waters. The former airport, Don Muang saw flooded runways during the prolonged incident.

Opened in 2006, Suvarnabhumi Airport was designed for continued operation at its location on a low-lying, level plain. According to the airport’s operator, the airport features an extensive water management, flood prevention and drainage system including a soil barrier around the airport perimeter, measuring 23.5km in length and 3.0m in height, (recently extended to 3.5m as a precaution). This was constructed by experts from the Department of Highways. The airport also features a drainage canal running parallel to and inside the barrier, measuring 23.5km in length. Six reservoirs connected to drainage canals have a water storage capacity of four million cubic metres, and two water pumping stations. Each of the latter has four pumps that can drain around one million cubic metres a day.

As part of its contingency planning measures, a flood monitoring centre was set up at the airport to co-ordinate with officials from Thai and international commercial airlines, as well as the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, the Royal Irrigation Department and officials from Samut Prakan province, in which the airport is located.

Airs

ervic

es A

ustra

lia

to Alice Springs. Six will be assigned to Perth, three to Melbourne and two to Sydney.

“We have a long legacy of protecting the travelling public and are very proud to have these individuals join our family of specialist aviation fire fighters,” said Airservices General Manager, Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting. “We welcome them to Airservices and congratulate them on successfully completing the demanding course,” he continued.

KUWAIT: Firefighters were called in to exterminate a rare type of cobra which escaped into the cargo unloading area at Kuwait International Airport, reports the Kuwait Times. It is not known if the snake was being smuggled illegally or whether it had stowed away on the aircraft.

BANGKOK FLOODS

AIRPORT FIRE BOAT REMEMBERS SEPTEMBER 11USA: The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) has commissioned the new high-performance fire boat American United. The 79-foot vessel is named in remembrance of September 11, 2001, and the passengers and crews of American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175. A piece of steel from one of the World Trade Center Towers is permanently displayed on the vessel with the inscription: “Never Forget! In tribute

to those lost on September 11, 2001.” The steel was presented to Massport’s Fire Rescue Department by members of the New York City Fire Department.

“As we commission Massport’s new fire boat today, we take another important step forward to honour our commitment to work proactively every day to enhance public safety at Logan Airport,” said Massport’s Director of Aviation, Edward C Freni.


MARINES TRAIN TO KEEP AIR STATION SAFE

NEWS

USA: ARFF Marines watch above as a training fire builds in intensity during a pit fuel fire training exercise in December, writes Lance Cpl. Cory D. Polom, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.

Once the fuel had been ignited, the two-man teams moved into the pool, pushing the fire back while they advanced forward until the fire was extinguished.

Staff Sgt. Justin M. Oakley, a section leader with ARFF, said he understands the value of the training the overall benefits of having an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting unit: “This training helps save the lives of Marines,” said Oakley.

“It prepares the Marines of this unit to fight fuel fires and gives them the real life training needed to succeed.”

Richard and other members of ARFF stressed the importance of the pit fire training and agreed the air station needs ARFF. “Marines take care of Marines,” said Staff Sgt. Racheal R. Benezette, ARFF training staff non-commissioned officer in charge. “We make pilots feel comfortable. We are already at the hot zones on the airstrip. We save lives. We save aircraft.”

Oakley said the training the Marines conduct help them keep the air station and its pilots safe.

Lance Cpl.Cory D. Polom

, US M

arine Corps

SPECIALISED FIRE TRUCKS FOR ISLANDAUSTRALIA: Airservices Australia has commissioned two new high visibility Mk9 Rosenbauer fire trucks to its aviation fire service at Hamilton Island.

Each truck can each carry 6,100 litres of water and 921 litres of foam and empty its tank in less than two minutes, with a roof monitor capable 85 metres’ reach.

Airservices General Manager Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting, Andrew Rushbrook, said that the new vehicles represent a significant investment for Airservices and will enhance the safety of airport operations at Hamilton Island.

“Hamilton Island is a major tourism

USA: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has defended the decision of one of its security officers to confiscate a cupcake from a traveller in December because the icing fell under the ‘gel’ category. The incident went viral on the internet, sparking disbelief.

On the TSA’s blog (http://blog.tsa.gov/), ‘Blogger Bob Burns’ says: “I wanted to make it clear that this wasn’t your everyday, run-of-the-mill cupcake. We have a policy directly related to the UK liquid bomb plot of 2006 called 3-1-1 that limits the amount of liquids, gels and aerosols you can bring in your carry-on luggage. Icing falls under the ‘gel’ category.” An image on the blog showed the cupcake had a thick layer of icing inside a jar.

“In general, cakes and pies are allowed in carry-on luggage, however, the officer in this case used their discretion (sic) on whether or not to allow the newfangled modern take on a cupcake per 3-1-1 guidelines. They chose not to let it go,” says the blog, which then lists two real liquid-related incidents from the past.

It continues: “What the two plots above and intelligence gathered from all over the world tells us is that unless Wile E. Coyote is involved, the days of the three sticks of dynamite with a giant alarm clock strapped to them are long gone. Terrorists have moved to novel explosives disguised as common, everyday items. Our officers are regularly briefed and trained by TSA explosives specialists on how just about any common appliance, toy or doohickey can be turned into a dangerous explosive. When you think about it, do you think an explosive would be concealed in an ominous item that would draw attention, or something as simple as a cute cupcake jar?

“The bottom line is that you can bring cakes, pies and cupcakes through the security checkpoint, but you should expect that they might get some additional screening, and if something doesn’t seem right, there is always the potential you won’t be able to take it through.”

gateway for the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef,” Mr Rushbrook said.

“With a range of commercial and private charters operating into and out of the airport, these new vehicles allow us to better respond in the event of an incident anywhere on the aerodrome.”

The Mk9 vehicles were specially chosen for Hamilton Island because of their lighter gross weight, compared to the Mk8s used by Airservices around the country, enables the vehicle to negotiate the airport’s soft, sand-based access roads and open areas without causing damage to the surfaces.

‘SUSPECT’ CUPCAKECLARIFICATION


news EXTRA: BEHIND THE SCENES

Although Eddie does all types of photography, including landscapes, weddings, portraits, etc, the one

main subject that has always fascinated him is fire service photography. “This is a specialised market and extremely difficult to get into, “ he says, “But, after many, many years of persistence, West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (WSFRS) in the UK now uses me as a freelance photographer and video cameraman.”

Eddie has a long association with WSFRS, starting back in the 1990s: “I used to go out and video local incidents and got to know the local firefighters. In those days the fire service did not have specialised video production facilities in-house. The local Station Officer was put in charge of finding a professional video production company to make training and information videos on new vehicles as the Fire service got them,” explains Eddie. “Knowing what I did, he approached me and offered me the job of making these videos on a freelance basis. Over this time I produced numerous videos for WSFRS and went to a few real Incidents.”

Eddie now does more photography, but still has a shoulder-mounted broadcast ENG camera for producing high quality video footage.

“WSFRS use me for large exercises, (photos and video) and inform me of real incidents in my area. If the material I

obtain is not sensitive I can pass it on to the media – local papers, TV news etc. I have even had footage broadcast on the ITN national news and BBC’s Real rescues.

“I must stress though that it is not as easy as it sounds. I can’t simply turn up at an incident and start snapping away. WSFRS made sure I went on a safety briefing and explained the basic incident command structure so that I am aware of safety procedures while at the fireground. And of course I book in attendance at the command point, as people can’t just wander round the fireground!” he comments.

Many incidents are at night, and Eddie will happily go out day or night if he is available. “The biggest fire I have been to so far was actually in my home town: a major fire in a lap dancing club in a shopping centre. This went to 18+ pumps from several different counties and went on all through the night. My footage was used in the incident debrief and investigations.”

Eddie tries not to use flash for night-time incidents as the flash reflects off the reflective strips on the firefighters uniforms. Shooting in the dark, handheld and producing a clear image is not easy, he comments.

Recently, he was asked to film and photograph an exercise at the Beach Hotel in Worthing on England’s South coast (see the video at http://youtu.be/2VTnKTQ7j08). The disused hotel was smoked out

to simulate a fire on the first and second floor. Live casualties were used and Eddie was allowed access to all areas to

produce a video and stills of the event.He has also recently covered the

CBRN exercise at Gatwick Airport (p23), a multi-agency exercise simulating a HazMat incident on a plane which required mass decontamination of passengers once the aircraft landed.

Says Eddie: “I hope the material I produce both at exercises and at real incidents can be used as a valuable learning and training aid as well as good publicity for WSFRS.”

Samples of some of the fire-related videos and photographs he is allowed to make public can be seen on his website, as well as samples of all the other types of photography and a section showing samples of some of his work in the news. More information from: www.eddiehowlandphotography.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALISES IN FIRE IMAGESIAFPA Bulletin looks at the work of Eddie Howland, the photographer who took this issue’s cover image and the picture of the CBRN exercise at Gatwick on page 23

This dog was rescued after being trapped underground for over five hours in 2009

A shoulder-mounted broadcast ENG camera for producing high quality video

footage

Eddie filmed and took stills photography at this exercise at a hotel in Worthing

A video frame grab from an incident in the 1990s, which Eddie attended


On December 10, a shantytown in Paranaque, just outside Manila in the Philippines, was badly damaged and 16 people died when a light cargo aircraft crashed into houses and a school, triggering a blaze that raged across an area of 2,000 square metres. Emily Hough looks at how this incident has once more highlighted the vulnerability of informal settlements located next to busy urban airports

Incident report

A light cargo plane crashed shortly after take-off from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA),

exploding upon impact in a nearby shanty town and causing a fire that engulfed at least 50 houses and an elementary school.

The four-seat Beechcraft Queen Air plane, owned by Innovator’s Technology Inc, with two crew and one passenger on board, took off at around 14:00hrs bound for San Jose, Mindoro, to pick up a cargo of marine products. A few minutes into the flight, the pilot declared an emergency and requested permission to land from ATC, but the aircraft crashed into the Paranaque district before it could make it back to the airport.

Apart from the three occupants of the aircraft, 13 other people on the ground were also killed in the blaze that spread across an area of 2,000 square metres, razing shanty dwellings either side of an open sewer.

Most of the victims were children; the death toll would have been far higher had the incident occurred on a weekday not a Saturday, as the F Serrano Elementary School would have been full of pupils. The school, which may have to be demolished and rebuilt after 17 of its classrooms burnt out, usually holds classes for 3,700 students.

Firefighters from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and Text Fire Philippines (TFP – a non-profit organisation that helps to disseminate fire alerts, alarms and information through an SMS dispatcher server) responded to the scene; medical assistance was provided by Emergency Rescue Units (ERUs) from the Philippines Red Cross (PRC). PRC Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang said that the organisation immediately deployed ten ambulances and two fire trucks, with around 50 staff and volunteers trained in emergency response and firefighting.

Teams treated the wounded on site and took the more severely injured to hospital. Many of the victims were

suffering from serious burns, including several children who were playing near the site when the plane crashed.

The Red Cross also served hot meals and distributed relief items to some 47 families who sought refuge, as well as helping to retrieve remains and assisting with DNA testing for identification.

The Chairman of the PRC, Richard J Gordon, commended the volunteers, groups and individuals involved in the rescue efforts, paying particular tribute to 11-year-old girl who, despite being badly burnt herself, tried to go back to the site

Plane crashes in school and houses

Incident report


to save a friend. Gordon also highlighted the bravery of 19-year-old Francis Reofloredo, who returned to the site to try to save his younger brother; he couldn’t save his sibling, but did manage to rescue a four-year-old neighbour suffering from third degree burns.

The Paranaque City government said it was distributing start-up kits of construction materials, including posts, galvanised steel and plywood, to residents who had been displaced by the crash and fire. Mayor Florencio Bernabe said the city government was looking for

an interim budget to help with the costs of medical treatment, but did not rule out asking the owners of the plane to pay for hospital costs.

The Department of Transport and Communications (DOTC) convened a panel to pin down the plane owner’s liability and to prevent future mishaps. Mar Roxas, Secretary of the DOTC, met

Plane crashes in school and houseswith CAAP officials and they discussed the liability and the necessity for a speedy investigation.

The Civil Aviation Authority began its investigations, telling reporters that both the engines that had been recovered were severely charred and that investigators were looking at the possibility of fuel contamination or starvation. They commandeered the aircraft’s records and logbooks and were examining the crew’s training experience. “As of now, the investigators are scratching their heads because it seems there was no fuel left at all following the conflagration,” Ramon Gutierrez, the Civil Aviation Authority’s Director General, told reporters, though later articles suggested that human error had not been ruled out.

Gutierrez also said that this incident lends further impetus to calls for moving aircraft operations out of congested urban areas.

This was echoed by Secretary Roxas, who was quoted as saying: “We will make sure that similar accidents do not happen in the future,” adding that general aviation services are one of the sectors that the DOTC intends to relocate. “The objective is to decongest NAIA from small aircraft operations so as not to co-mingle with commercial airline operations,” the Secretary said.

More than 2.5 million people live in shanty towns in the Philippine’s capital, many of which are located near open canals or sewers and some of which are just across the fence from Manila’s main international airport.

The CAAP has recommended two potential transfer sites: Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas, and Sangley Pointin Cavite. Both facilities are owned by the military and Roxas has said that the DOTC and Department of National Defence will come up with a memorandum of understanding to govern the transfer, as well as the relocation of residents who will be displaced by the move.

This latest incident has once again highlighted the issue of illegal settlements located near

major airports

Reuters


Incident report

INVESTIGATIONS INTO RUSSIAN RIVER INCIDENT

Incident report


On September 7, 2011, at 16:02hrs (Moscow time), a Yak-42 aircraft owed by the Yak-Service air

company crashed and burst into flames shortly after take-off. It landed in the River Tunoshna, a tributary of the River Volga, near the city of Yaroslavl, about 250 km (160 miles) north-east of Moscow (see previous issue of IAFPA Bulletin).

Forty-five people died, including ice-hockey players and coaching staff from the top professional club Lokomotiv. The club was scheduled to take part in the Continental League Championship in Minsk (Belarus). Among the victims were citizens of Russia, Belarus, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovak Republic, Sweden, Latvia and Canada.

Two people survived the crash – an ice-hockey player who died from severe burns in a special Moscow hospital five days later, and a crew member – the flight engineer. The latter had not been in the cockpit at the time of the crash, but was on the starboard side at the tail end of the aircraft. He later admitted that he had not been fastened in and was thus able to leave the plane independently.

Psychological post-accident assistance was required by more than 2,000 people (family members, friends and Lokomotiv fans). According to EMERCOM of Russia’s psychological service, 259 people received such assistance on an individual basis.

September 9 – 11 were set aside as official days of mourning in the Yaroslavl region.

An investigative committee was set up to examine Yak-Service’s records, conditions at the airport and the plane’s wreckage and flight recorder data. The

Russian Committee of Inquiry (RCI) carried out more than 50 different examinations, questioned more than 200 witnesses and officials of different levels and the committee acknowledged 45 victims.

The investigating committee of Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) released its report at a press conference on November 2, 2011. According to Alexei Morozov, Chief of the commission: “The immediate cause of the Yak-42 plane crash was the plane crew’s erroneous actions, namely the pilot stepping on the brake pedals before raising the nose wheel because of the wrong position of the feet on the brake platforms during take-off.”

According to the results of technical examinations by the IAC, the crew made several mistakes during the

INVESTIGATIONS INTO RUSSIAN RIVER INCIDENT

2011 has been marked as year

of transportation disasters for Russia, which has seen the

tragedy of the motor ship ‘Bulgaria’, 11 air crashes and several

train collisions

Emergency services work on the River Tunoshna after the plane crashed

EMERCOM of Russia

The tragic incident involving a Yak-42, which crashed upon take-off has raised a number of questions regarding Russia’s smaller regional airlines and airports. But, says Lina Kolesnikova, without smaller-scale aviation, those who live far from metropolitan areas would find it difficult to exist


Incident report

take-off process. For example, the correct calculation of parameters was not fulfilled, as a transcript of crew’s negotiations with ground services later demonstrated. The take-off was according to normal procedure until the aircraft’s speed reached 170kph when, the IAC insists, the brakes were touched because a crew member’s feet were incorrectly positioned on the pedals.

Medical examinations of the crew’s remains identified the presence of medicine in the co-pilot’s blood (alleged to be a barbiturate used as an anticonvulsant, but which can have sedative or hypnotic properties), which might have affected the reflexes of his extremities. According to the Russian aviation authorities, aviation regulations prohibit the use of this drug by pilots in Russia.

Take-off was fulfilled at 210kph; the aircraft reached a height of five to six metres, then heeled and crashed into a radio mast, breaking into pieces as it fell.

international cargo and postal services. However, families and colleagues

of crew members strongly opposed the IAC’s conclusions, suspecting that there had been an attempt to accuse the deceased pilots of being responsible, by citing human error for political and bureaucratic reasons. They claimed that pilots have been found to be responsible for all recent air crashes in Russia.

Families of the crew members united to launch their own independent investigation with the involvement of aviation experts. According to this expert group, the main reason of this particular air crash was the construction and air dynamic deficiencies of the Yak-42.

Vice-president of NG Association on Aviation Safety Rafail Aptukhov believes that saying the accident results from an error by the chief pilot hails “from the realm of science fiction”.

He insists that each disaster is caused by a number of failures and mistakes. Aptukhov also contradicts the IAC point

The IAC also found that the pilots of the crashed aircraft had not passed sufficient training hours; and that the second pilot’s retraining certificates had been faked. It is also alleged that the aviation company involved did not have enough qualified personnel and the retraining of chief pilot and co-pilot was carried out with serious breaches of existing rules – pilots were trained to fly a Yak-40 instead of a Yak-42 aircraft. The IAC raised further doubts as to whether the management structure and financial assets of Yak-Service, could enable the provision of the required levels of safety and security.

Later, the company’s licence was annulled because of severe breaches of aviation rules.

There were also serious claims made about conditions at Yaroslavl’s local airport, Tunoshna. It is said the airport did not have the correct permits to carry out passenger transportation – its current licences had only been issued for

Serious claims were made about the airport from which the plane took off,

namely that it did not have the correct permits for passenger transportation

EMERCOM of Russia

Incident report


of view that the crew was insufficiently trained for the Yak-42 (ie the pilots had only been certified to fly the Yak-40).

Russian state test pilots tried to simulate the last flight of Yaroslavl’s Yak-42 in Jukovsky’s Aviation Centre. One expert attempted to imitate the alleged actions of the chief pilot – ie putting his feet on the brakes and simultaneously pulling the yoke towards himself. According to a special monitor, which was placed on the yoke and which calculated the expert’s efforts, in order to deflect the yoke by 13 degrees (the figure fixed by the crashed aircraft’s airborne recorders) experts had to apply the equivalent pressure of dozens of kilograms.

Experts also insist that if the aircraft had attempted to brake during the take-off run, its tyres would be completely spoiled. But all the tyres were in order after the crash.

2011 has been marked as year of transportation disasters for Russia, which

are usually underpaid, and do not have sufficient experience. Retraining is not provided, and certificates can be faked.

EMERCOM of Russia shares this opinion predicts more accidents in so-called smaller aviation. It is necessary to mention that this aviation service is vital for the majority of Russian towns and villages, especially in Siberia and Far East.

Complete prohibition of smaller aircraft would affect the thousands of people who live far from metropolitan areas.

has seen the tragedy of the motor ship Bulgaria, 11 air crashes and several train collisions.

Safety experts, however, believe there will be more accidents in the future because of a crisis in the transportation industry: old transport facilities and vehicles, tough climate conditions, technical and human errors, and normative-legal base imperfections. According to the Russian Minister of Transport Igor Levitin, the average age of Russian aircraft is 21 years old and two-thirds of civil aviation airports need urgent reconstruction and modernisation (most were built more than 40 years ago). The Russian aviation pool numbers 1,523 aircraft – 479 of which are made abroad. Only 52 domestic aircraft were made in the 1990s.

Smaller aviation companies are not able to provide safety and security because of a lack of financial means (especially now, when the industry is in crisis). The pilots of such companies

Last year was a bad one for transport accidents in Russia

EMERCOM of Russia

Lina Kolesnikova is an Associate with CS&A, based in Brussels. She has extensive experience in both governmental and non-governmental sectors, including the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), the Centre for European Policy Studies and the International Crisis Group (international NGO working in conflict prevention). She counsels clients in conflict resolution, NGO and stakeholder relationship management, and European energy supply and security issues


profile

Just over two years ago, the UK’s second airport – Gatwick – was sold by the British Airports Authority

(BAA) for £1.51 billion. Gatwick serves more than 200

destinations in 90 countries and handles around 33 million passengers a year. It has two terminals – the South Terminal is 120,000 square metres and the North Terminal, which opened in 1988, is 75,000 square metres. The airport has one runway, which is 3,316 metres long.

Around 90 airlines use the airport, which has 108 stands; 32 pier served stands in each terminal and 44 remote stands serviced by coaches.

Almost immediately after the purchase, Gatwick’s new owner, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) embarked upon a massive £1 billion capital investment programme, saying: “Gatwick is undergoing the biggest transformation in its history. Over the next ten years, we want Gatwick to become the airport of choice, not only in London, but in Europe.”

There are more than 200 projects either in progress or being planned. For example, the North Terminal extension was unveiled in November 2011, with more space for quicker check-in and a new short stay car park next to the terminal. Work on the airport’s South Terminal forecourt area is set to be completed in March.

I spoke to Phil Rowsell, Airport Fire

provided reassurance and allayed fears.A new organisational ethos has swept

through the airport; the fire service has not been immune from change and the benefits are positive. “The fire service at the airport has complete autonomy,” says Barry.

Previously, some personnel felt that attempts to standardise fire provision and operations across seven airports of varying scale, location and provision were not always the easiest policies to work within at an individual airport level. There are different resource requirements, managing directors, human resources issues, procedures and cultures to take

Manager, and Barry Alderslade, Deputy Airport Fire Manager, to find out what, if any, changes the airport firefighters have experienced.

They are frank; at first there were concerns about the new ownership. Although certain working conditions were protected by Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations (TUPE), other aspects such as the firefighters’ final salary pension schemes did not fall under these regulations. “The new owners kept the final salary pension scheme,” says Phil, pointing out that they were not obliged to do so under TUPE. This measure both

It is nearly two years since Gatwick Airport was sold to new owners. How has this affected the Airport Fire Service? Emily Hough talks to Phil Rowsell and Barry Alderslade to find out

GATWICK AIRPORT: MOVING FORWARD

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into account, and sometimes this means that one size does not fit all.

“Historically, the command structure had evolved through various pay deals,” explains Barry. “After a restructure, we have aligned to many local authority fire services; we no longer have Leading Firefighters, but crew managers.”

There is a sense of ownership and of being part of the airport’s success. The former Gatwick Airport Fire Service has been rebranded as Gatwick Airport Fire and Rescue (FRS). One of the firefighters, John Henderson, designed the new badge. The airport fire service is now part of Airside Operations (the other

two departments within this section being Airport Ground Lighting and Airfield Operations). “We feel part of airside operations, we’re not just involved in firefighting,” says Barry. “It is ‘our airport’ and we aim to keep the airport open. Our lads were digging out aircraft in the snow to help keep things going last year, and it was noted and appreciated. We are part of the airport’s resilience armoury.”

Indeed, as I was visiting, I was taken to see firefighters practising manoeuvres on the airport’s new fleet of snow ploughs (see previous issues of IAFPA Bulletin); firefighting personnel are all trained to

clear runways.Both Phil and Barry emphasised that

there is a new ethos whereby personnel are encouraged to take decisions and, if mistakes are made, to learn from these mistakes and move on, rather than becoming bogged down in decision-making.

“One of the biggest differences is the speed it takes to achieve things,” comments Phil, “The new foam we are using is a good example of this. We are the first major airport fire service to make the switch to PFOS free foam – we decided to make the move, and did it in two months; the pace is so much quicker

GATWICK AIRPORT: MOVING FORWARD


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to achieve things.” The fire training ground now

meets ISO14001 standards. The new biodegradable foam, Moussal-FF, is from Dr Sthamer, and run-off goes into a retaining tank whose contents can be drip fed back into the watercourse. “Our appliances have been recalibrated to a three per cent induction ratio, which gives us a four-shot system, four tanks of water to one tank, compared to our previous two tanks of water to one of foam,” says Barry.

The FRS is keen to talk about it and share its experience with other fire services: “We are actively promoting knowledge sharing throughout the

industry, not only UK, but worldwide.”It is also hoped that this exchange of

information will work both ways: “We can learn from other airports; Bristol works really efficiently. Manchester is also extremely good.”

“Our working relationship with our local authority fire and rescue service is second to none, apart from initial aviation and reval courses, we run fire behaviour training, breathing apparatus instructor courses and local authority aviation courses, to name a few,” says Barry. The airport’s FRS is an approved training provider, trading under the commercial name of Gatwick Fire.

“We have an excellent training ground,

with a state-of-the-art CAT9 aircraft training simulator, an MD-82 and Herald aircraft, road traffic collision compound, and positive pressure ventilation training. We have a ten-year working partnership with West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service utilising our fully-carbonaceous fire behaviour training units,” he continues. “We are also running a contract with London Fire Brigade utilising our BA and fire training facility, as well as training, specialist police and military units.”

“We want to expand this and get more intelligent with our costings. We’re getting so much business. Of course, operations come first, but our personnel

Above: Airport Fire Manager Phil Rowsell (left) and Deputy Airport Fire Manager Barry Alderslade (Right)

Right: One of the latest additions to the firefighting fleet at Gatwick Airport, a Rosenbauer Panther

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also carry out this training.” Being involved in the training is a good morale-booster, but both Phil and Barry are keen to point out how carefully the balance between airport operations and the training of external people is maintained.

“As we speak, a two-week fire behaviour training instructor course is running with instructors from Gatwick and Devon & Somerset FRS, with seven delegates from London Fire Brigade and one from Gatwick. A truly multi-agency course,” Barry adds.

And the fire service gets to keep the money it generates through this training provision: “It gives a buzz to the station; we’ve invested the income from training

back into the station. We’ve upgraded the gymnasium equipment, for example.”

Barry is the first aviation fire officer to become an Incident Command National Inter-agency Liaison Officer. “There are about 200 of us,” he explains, “We liaise between all agencies and see what we can do to assist, especially during terrorist-related incidents, utilising our specialist equipment and specific skills set.”

Other liaison includes the Gatwick Resilience Planning Group and Phil tells me that the airport is a nominated site for CBRN exercises: “There’s one taking place this Sunday,” (see box overleaf). Phil and Barry are both qualified Silver Commanders.

One further practical change that has emerged under the new ethos of doing things, working closely with the Gatwick Emergency Planning Liaison Group, is now that the Airport Fire and Rescue Service has an arrangement with the local authority that it will attend off-airport aircraft incidents up to ten miles away: “Previously, the limit was a quarter of a mile,” according to Phil, who adds: “we now have full attendance at the discretion of the station manager.” All firefighters take part in emergency response driver training: “Staff have to learn how to go out on public roads with their blue lights on.” Another change is that should fire break out at the airport’s fuel storage


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facility, the airport firefighters will tackle the blaze: “Previously, our job was not to get too involved and to wait for the local authority firefighters to arrive,” says Phil. “Now I can commit our crews. We know how to operate drenching systems.”

So what else is new? “We have just taken delivery of three new Rosenbauer Panthers,” says Barry, “and will be getting three more in two years time.” The Panthers are equipped with 80-metre long 25mm bore hose reels, which give a flow rate of 220lpm at the branch, enabling crews to deal with internal fires on wide body aircraft without having to “lug traditional 45mm lay flat hose.”

The airport is also going for a rescue staircase for incidents on large aircraft and has already purchased a large output positive pressure ventilation (PPV) fan.

“Old planes burn through and were generally self-ventilating,” Barry explains. “The new generation of aircraft are built out of advanced composites, such as ‘glare’ composite materials and this self-ventilation does not happen so readily.

The PPV fan is designed to remove the build-up of gases, making conditions inside the fuselage a lot more tenable for survivors.”

New appliance bays for the fire station are on the cards and the Gatwick Fire and Rescue Service has just ordered a tractor and trailer to improve access to difficult areas of the airport.

In all, there is a positive feel about this fire station. At lunch with the crew on duty, a good time to get a true impression of the atmosphere and what the firefighters think about their working conditions, the general ambiance is one of engagement and enthusiasm.

While it must have been unnerving to be removed from the familiar environment of the BAA, and though the links with their former colleagues are still evidently strong, there’s an obvious enthusiasm for all the new opportunities that the current pace of change is presenting.

Phil sums it up: “It has been a good year; one of the best years since I’ve been a senior manager.”

On Sunday, November 27, Gatwick hosted an exercise to

prove the airport’s plan to deal with a CBRN exercise involving a large number of casualties requiring mass decontamination.

This multi-agency exercise involved the Gatwick Airport Fire and Rescue Service (FRS); West Sussex FRS; East Sussex FRS; Surrey FRS; the Ambulance service; and Sussex Police.

Also taking part were the English Health Service’s Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART), which comprise specialist personnel who

provide the ambulance response to major incidents involving hazardous materials, or which present hazardous environments.

More than 380 people took part in the exercise, including 150 volunteers who went through the mass decontamination shower process.

The exercise began with a notification from Air Traffic Control (ATC) that an American Airline A380 with 500 passengers on crew on board had declared a Pan-Pan emergency and requesting priority permission to land at Gatwick, saying a number

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More than 380 people took part in the recent CBRN mass decontamination exercise at Gatwick Airport

recently – 150 of them volunteered to go through the decontamination shower process

Photo: Eddie Howland (see overleaf)www.eddiehowlandphotography.co.uk

of passengers were complaining of a strong smell in the cabin.

Approximately 30 passengers were feeling unwell, some with breathing difficulties.

At 08:10hrs ATC confirmed that Gatwick would accept the aircraft, estimated to arrive at 11:00hrs; ATC would declare a full emergency 30 minutes before this at 10:30hrs.

During the ensuing hours, further communication with the aircraft confirmed that a large number of passengers were complaining of respiratory discomfort and burning

skin and that air crew were struggling to keep passengers calm. Elderly and very young passengers seemed to be more affected than adults and the distribution of those affected seemed to be random, with more affected on the lower deck.

The pilot indicated that he intended to evacuate the aircraft via emergency slides upon arrival at the designated holding point Juliet (the end of the taxiway adjacent to the fire training ground), confirming he intended to shut down all engines and power units prior to evacuation and requested

ground APU to be available.As the incident unfurled, the

pilot reported eight persons to be unconscious with more and more passengers being affected.

He also said that he and his co-pilot were on oxygen masks and upgraded the incident to aircraft accident imminent.

The plane landed at 10:58hrs and was escorted to holding point Juliet by the Airport FRS and police armed support vehicle, where the mass decontamination exercise then took place.


security

Aviation transit remains a prime target for terrorists, despite enhanced security at airports in

recent years. As in most other civilian arenas of attack, the improvised explosive device (IED) in varying forms, sizes and sophistication remains the overwhelming weapon of choice for terrorist and insurgent groups and individuals bent on death and destruction. The threat of an IED or dissemination technique incorporating Chemical, Biological, Radiological (CBR), or at the ultimate extreme, nuclear, materials – despite lack of terrorist precedent – also features highly in risk assessments and government warnings, and in readiness plans for first responders, police, border officials and aviation security.

Despite the apparent rarity of incidents, preparedness and training must now factor in CBRN when a device is suspected or found. The bomb hidden in a print cartridge intercepted from a cargo plane at East Midlands Airport in October 2010 was reported as an ‘ordinary’ IED, but its discovery prompted a full response from the specialist Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), the Health

Re-evaluating CBRN threats to aviation and passengersAndy Oppenheimer says that although there are challenges to deploying CBR devices, even crude ones, all those involved in aviation rescue and response must be aware of potential vulnerabilities

Opposite page: The threat of attack from unmanned aircraft is being taken seriously

photo: DreamstimeThis page: Air Force Master Sgt. Scot Gordon, with the 119th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, recovers a C-21 aircraft upon completion of a flight during an operational readiness exercise at the North Dakota Air National Guard, in Fargo, May 14, 2011. Gordon was in full personal protective gear known as mission oriented protective posture (MOPP) 4 to protect personnel from possible nuclear, biological or chemical attack agents US Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp/Released

security


boarded a Detroit-bound aircraft with a PETN device in his underwear, was

charged with trying to destroy an aircraft with a ‘weapon of mass

destruction’, not a CBRN

device. Authorities defined the weapon according

to its potential effects; in this instance, airborne

casualties and those on the ground

could have

exceeded the toll of 9/11.

An explosion or other dispersal of chemical or biological materials from an aircraft above a populated area, inside airport terminals, or in commercial flight passenger cabins would not only kill and injure immediately, but create long-term illness and injury, as well as abject terror.

Chemical and biological agents will have differing effects.

Chemical agents, such as sarin nerve agent and hydrogen cyanide, produce rapid symptoms in seconds. Both contagious and non-contagious biological agents produce delayed-action symptoms, which may only appear after a few hours, days, or even weeks. A bioterrorist attack would not be detected in real time, with patients showing up at hospital emergency departments, doctors’ surgeries, and pharmacies after the event. This would also be the case with radioactive exposure and contamination from a non-explosive source or victims not hurt by the initial explosion of a device containing radioactive material.

In bioterrorism, extensive detective work is needed to trace the origin of the

Protection Agency, and other specialist teams to ascertain whether the device had a toxic component. This, and the similar IED found in Dubai, were a stark reminder that cargo as well

as passengers boarding aircraft could conceal explosives

or toxins. The fact that a

closed electrical circuit had been connected to a mobile phone SIM card to act as a timer within the printer and the extent to which the device’s main charge and mechanism were hidden, indicated a level of bomb-making skill and inventive improvisation.

Given the effectiveness of IEDs, why should terrorists try something much harder – ie the fabrication of CBRN devices?

There has been much commentary to the effect that a prime aim of Al-Qaeda (AQ) and other extremist or apocalyptic groups is the creation and deployment of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), but evidence of actual use and deployment is thin on the ground – and in the air. So far, non-conventional attacks have been on subway systems (Tokyo, Paris, 1995) and the anthrax-laden letters mailed in October 2001 to sundry addresses in the US (the latter, thankfully, did not enter the air transit system).

The worst terrorist attacks in history on September 11, 2001, used aircraft as guided-missile WMD without bombs or CBRN (unless you count the thousands still suffering from effects of toxic dust after the World Trade Center collapsed as a mass HazMat incident). It is interesting that the so-called ‘underpants bomber’, Omar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who

source. The most likely vector would be in the form of a highly infectious passenger – that is, Mother Nature still spreads disease more effectively than artificial means.

Landside areas are just as vulnerable. On-ground airport terminals are attractive targets. The car bomb attempt on the entrance to Glasgow Airport in June 2007 is one of several such attacks, with the bombing of the Arrivals Hall at Domodedovo Airport, Moscow in January 2011 being the most recent. In some countries security measures aimed at detecting chemical or biological agents and explosives are rarely located in the passenger-congested public areas. The effect of a chemical or bio-release can be maximised by the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in the airport and the sheer number of people present in one place.

As well as aircraft being vulnerable to attack, more recently they have entered

the frame as a possible means to deliver terrorist weapons. In

late September, an AQ supporter, Rezwan

Ferdaus, was arrested in the

US for

planning to use three drone- type aircraft to attack targets in Washington, DC with explosive payloads, which he had allegedly accepted during a ‘sting’ operation by undercover FBI agents.

In 2008, a government report warned about hijacking of private aircraft (of which there an estimated 8,500 in Britain) from up to 500 landing sites in the UK, including farmers’ fields and regional airports, where security is less stringent than at international hubs.

Crop dusters and larger business aircraft have long been regarded as a potential platform for the delivery of chemical and biological agents. As remotely controlled aircraft become smaller with rapid technological advances, they are more easily


security

would include complete survey and schematic diagrams with highlighted exhaust and intake points, made available for control room personnel. CBRN filters should be installed in relevant areas to minimise or expedite the flow of contaminated air into public areas.

Aircraft might be considered to be better protected against CB attacks than airports. Systems and procedures are in place to prevent transmission of diseases via air travel.

Aircraft are equipped and have largely been upgraded to counter bioterror releases. Commercial aircraft have on-board advanced environmental control

transported. And with drones becoming big business, China, India, Iran, Mexico, Pakistan and Russia are among countries buying or producing their own unmanned aircraft.

There are challenges to manufacturing and deploying CBR devices, even crude ones. For an airborne IED, initiation and detonation is the main hurdle for the terrorist, who must not only conceal components, but ensure that they work at the right time and place, despite the vagaries of air travel. If the ‘underpants bomber’ had the luxury of choosing an off-the-shelf blasting cap or an exploding wire detonator for his mission, his PETN device would most likely have exploded. Unless an airborne IED has all the components functioning at once, failure is possible – and the more links in the chain of initiation, the more likely it is to malfunction.

These difficulties multiply with a CBR component. In the 2006 ‘Liquid explosives plot’ the terrorists planned to use soft drinks containers and replace their original contents using a syringe filled with a homemade liquid explosive – concentrated hydrogen peroxide mixed with a powdered fruit drink which would enhance detonation. A toxic component could have been incorporated, but the difficulties in making and deploying a device with a viable chemical or radioisotope without self-injury, and achieving maximum toxicity, are greater than ‘ordinary’ explosives. This may be the reason why terrorists still rely on explosive devices to kill, maim, and terrorise.

CBR detection, identification and monitoring equipment is still not used at all the world’s airports. Where it is, it is installed in fixed locations and for mobile use – including personal handheld and/or vehicle mounted equipment. Detection systems would require remote monitoring by suitably trained personnel in control rooms, and would resemble existing fire alarm procedures and systems.

Smoke doors, fire evacuation safe areas and assembly areas should be maintained to pre-identify ‘regular’ airport chemicals that could give false positives. HVAC systems updated with CBRN filtration

systems that control cabin pressure, ventilation, temperature, anti-icing and fire and smoke protection. Air is ‘sucked’ from outside and integrated within the cabin environment. At 30,000-40,000 ft (the cruising altitude of a commercial flight) the outside air is clean, dry and particle free. Whether the cabin receives fully circulated air or a 50/50 ratio (as with some aircraft models), it still minimises the effects of chemical and biological agents.

However, cargo is vulnerable in some regions. While the US has introduced explosives trace detection at points of entry and departure, it may not be possible to screen all cargo, given the vast quantities being shipped: as many as 10,000 packages go via DHL daily to the US alone. In the end, intelligence on an international, co-operative level to pre-empt plots being hatched by terrorists to bring down aircraft or attack passengers at airports remains the most effective way to prevent another 9/11 or a ‘liquid explosives plot’ from becoming terrifying reality.

Drones, or remotely-controlled aircraft, have recently emerged as another possible

method to deliver CBRN attacks

Andy Oppenheimer is Editor of Chemical & Biological Warfare, Editor of Global Defence Review and author of IRA: the Bombs and the Bullets: a History of Deadly Ingenuity (Irish Academic Press, 2008). A UK-based defence analyst, he is a member of the International Association of Bomb Technicians & Investigators and lectures on all aspects of CBRNE worldwide.

In late September, an AQ supporter, Rezwan Ferdaus, was arrested in the US for planning to use three drone-type aircraft to attack targets in Washington, DC, with explosive payload


LGWLondon Gatwick

DSA

Doncaster Sheffield

BRS

Bristol International

OBNOban

LCYLondon City

OXFLondon Oxford

CBGCambridge

EMAEast Midlands

BQH

London Biggin Hill

PSYPort Stanley


Security

Politicians are sometimes noted for being economical with the actualité, so it came as

a distinct shock to hear the British Home Secretary admit recently that the Government does not have a clue how many illegal immigrants and other undesirables entered the country, while an authorised trial programme aimed at cutting immigration queues happened to be underway during the summer.

Theresa May’s statement to the House of Commons followed public disclosure about this limited trial. It is alleged that the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) had been instructed to stop automatic checks of all biometric chips on every passport belonging to UK nationals and other citizens from inside the European Economic Area (EEA); and to stop performing automatic checks against the warnings index on all EEA children travelling with their families or in a school party. The trial is said to have been applied to all travellers entering the country during a five-month period.

Her statement followed the very public suspension of Brodie Clark, the head of the Border Force, Graeme Kyle, the border director for London Heathrow, and Carole Upshall, director of Border Force South and Europe, pending the outcome of an official inquiry into the affair. It was delivered a day ahead of Rob Whiteman, the newly

present a risk to the forthcoming Olympic Games.

Concern has also been expressed internationally regarding the safety of athletes intending to compete in the London Games. US Government officials have voiced displeasure about arrangements for the safety and security of their athletes and diplomats. Officials are understood to have expressed substantial unease over UK border control issues, the relaxation of anti-terrorism stop and search powers and they question continuously the number of police and other security personnel on duty during the summer sporting event. Washington is reportedly demanding that it be allowed to flood London with up to 1,000 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officers and other agents, to protect its team and other significant VIPs.

Significant disquiet has apparently been expressed by other nations as well.

Brodie Clark resigned from his post

appointed UKBA Chief Executive and Brodie Clarke, his second in command, being required to give acrimonious evidence before the all-powerful Home Affairs Select Committee, which painted a picture of a key government department being out of touch with reality and one of its most crucial divisions being in disarray.

The effective control of national borders should be of primary concern to a government at any time, but must be the subject of specific focus at times when the nation is considered to be a particularly high profile target. Nevertheless, the British Government apparently saw fit to tinker with border control just a year ahead of this country coming into the direct firing line by virtue of playing host to the Olympic Games.

This border control debacle comes against a backdrop of Government initially denying that Olympic security requirements are fatally flawed and subsequently admitting that a stress test has revealed a 50 per cent shortfall in the number of personnel required to secure the Games. A few days before the Parliamentary Christmas recess, the Government announced that up to 13,500 military personnel and appropriate supporting assets will be deployed to meet any security shortfall and otherwise bolster the provision of security during the Olympics. This fact begs the question whether the border control failures

BORDER CONTROL: NATIONAL SECURITY QUESTIONS FOR UKChris Yates says that UK border security has been called into question and that a full and transparent investigation should be instituted ahead of this year’s Olympic Games

security


for suspension of checks on non-EEA nationals or a suspension of fingerprint checks.

Under detailed questioning by members of the Select Committee, Mr Clark says he became aware earlier that border control personnel at Heathrow were routinely foregoing fingerprint checks, preferring warnings index checks. He admitted that he did not stop this practice, believing it to be: “A very sensible decision”, since warnings index checks were more important. He argued that he took this decision: “To keep the

in mid-November and is said to have launched a legal case against the Home Office for constructive dismissal. He has cited public comments made by the Home Secretary as the reason his position became untenable. Giving evidence before the Home Affairs Select Committee, he insisted that he: “Did not extend or alter” the trial scheme “in any way whatsoever.”

He argued that problems had arisen owing to a “conflation” of two distinct things – the pilot and the existing guidance, in place since 2007, which border staff must follow. That guidance apparently gave border personnel permission to relax some checks, when requested to do so by either the port/airport management or law enforcement officials, on health and safety grounds, at exceptionally busy times.

The guidance allows border staff to forgo checks on EEA passengers against the warnings index, but does not allow

border strong” rather than to weaken it.However, when the pilot scheme

was originally established, the Home Secretary is said to have expressly ruled out any relaxation of fingerprint checks as part of it.

It seems that Teresa May was not aware of the existing long-term contingency arrangements (contained within the 2007 guidance) and he did not think to draw her attention to it (while the extent of the pilot scheme was being determined).

Rob Whiteman told members of the Home Affairs Select Committee that ministers had made it perfectly clear that they wanted fingerprint checks to be carried out at all times. He said it was “disingenuous” of Mr Clark not to have given the Home Secretary the “full picture” of other policies that were in use when the extent of the scheme was under discussion.

Mr Clarke argued that he would be “surprised” if ministers didn’t know about the contingency plans, although he conceded that he had “no evidence” that they did and admitted he should have: “More thoroughly checked what the Home Secretary knew or did not know”.

Teresa May has ordered two internal investigations, which are unlikely to be completed before end of January at the earliest. One will examine when, where and why border checks were suspended and the other will look into the role and activity of officials who worked directly under Mr Clark.

Meanwhile, John Vine, head of the independent watchdog with responsibility for the UK Border Agency, will look into the wider issues of chain of command structures, including ministerial orders.

Had these border control issues not spilled into the public domain, the outcome of the investigations might well have ended the matter quietly. The fact that UK border security has been called into question at a critical time and against a backdrop of politicians attempting to apportion blame anywhere but on their own doorstep, demands a fulsome and transparent investigation.

By Chris Yates, Principal, Yates Consulting

Border control chaos at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 in November 2011: More than 2,500 passengers squeezed into the passport checking area as they waited for Border Agency staff. The passengers arrived after flights that had been suspended owing to fog were resumed, but most of the terminal staff had gone home. The Border Agency drafted in further members of staff from another terminal.

London New

s Pictures / Rex Features


ON EXERCISE

The history of Kraków Airport dates back to 1964, when part of the airport’s military section was

handed over for use by civil aviation and the first scheduled aircraft – belonging to LOT Polish Airlines – landed in Balice. The passenger terminal was opened in 1968 and the international passenger terminal has been in use since 1993. Two years after this, Kraków Airport was officially named after Pope John Paul II.

On July 5, 1996, by legal deed, a limited liability company named “Międzynarodowy Port Lotniczy Kraków-Balice” (Kraków-Balice International Airport) was established as the airport operator.

Today, Kraków Airport is Poland’s largest regional airport; it has 17 air carriers – 11 legacy and six low-cost airlines. In 2010, the airport handled 2,863,996 passengers and has an area of 426 hectares used both by military and civil aviation.

The civilian side of the airport is operated by John Paul II International Airport Kraków – Balice Ltd, a company whose main shareholders are: Polish Airports Enterprise, Małopolska Region, Kraków Municipality and Zabierzów Municipality.

The Airport’s Rescue and Fire Fighting Services, the LSRG, is responsible for safety during all aircraft operations provided by Kraków Airport. The LSRG

exercise was designed to test and improve the airport’s services and procedures, as well as to gauge the performance of other rescue services, including overall co-ordination and the setting up and organisation of a crisis centre.

The scenario involved an Airbus A-319 being buffeted by a strong crosswind on its final approach to Kraków Airport, prompting the pilot to abort the landing. When going around, one of the aircraft’s wings clipped a crane located along the glide path; the plane crashed four kilometres from the runway threshold. Of the 46 passengers and five crew members on the plane, ten passengers were killed and 19 injured.

The injured passengers were taken to five hospitals in Kraków. The others were

is equipped with modern rescue and firefighting gear, in accordance with ICAO regulations, and make the airport Category Eight in terms of rescue and firefighting protection capabilities. The LSRG crew consists of 56 fully qualified rescuers, working in shifts, providing 24/7 rescue and firefighting services at the airport.

High quality, specialist technical, medical and environmental rescue equipment facilitates the provision of those services that are indispensable to the elimination of threats to life and property.

On November 7, 2011, the airport held an emergency exercise involving aircraft firefighting and the rescue of injured passengers and crew members. The

John Paul II International Airport has recently completed its first ever emergency exercise to take place beyond the airport’s boundaries. IAFPA Bulletin reports

Testing Kraków’s emergency response

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ON EXERCISE


transported to the International Terminal in Kraków Airport where they and their families received trauma support.

Airport vehicles, rescue equipment and firefighter and rescue forces were involved in the exercise. Other forces included: Seven ambulances; officers from Kraków Airport’s border service; police officers; customs officers; municipal police officers; soldiers of the 8th Air Base; and representatives of the Regional Critical Management Centre. Students from the State Fire Service’s Fire College acted as casualties.

Kraków Airport is required to perform such a rescue exercise at least once every two years in order to demonstrate that it is equipped and capable of handling aircraft emergency.

The exercise helps all the parties involved in it to verify their skills and facilities in order to improve them in case of an airport accident within the operational area of the airport. This was the first time the exercise had been planned outside the airport, within an area of the glide path.

“All of Kraków Airport’s rescue forces are ready to conduct necessary aircraft rescue and life saving operations 24-hours-a-day. They respond quickly, effectively and adequately to the emergency situations.” said Jan Pamuła, Chairman of the Board, commenting on the exercise.


training & events

As a leading UK Airport Company, Edinburgh Airport’s Fire and Rescue Service already leads the

industry in competency-based training and assessment of skills.

FIRE TRAINING IN SCOTLAND

Our Airport Fire Service (AFS) personnel are trained to the highest possible standard to ensure the safety of all passengers and staff at Scotland’s capital airport, and we are proud to be

able to utilise and share the skills of our personnel within our newly-established Fire Training Centre.

Edinburgh Airport Fire Training Centre is controlled under the direction of Colin Murray – who is also the Airport Fire Manager at Edinburgh Airport. Colin is supported by a professional; and experienced instructional team – all of whom are operational Firefighters at Edinburgh, and have the necessary trainer and assessor qualifications (PTLLS, and A1 Assessor Award).

Our Commercial Training Programme incorporates a wide range of courses, all of which are compliant with the

relevant legislation and governing bodies. We are also proud to be associated with the following professional bodies.: Civil Aviation Authority; Institute of Fire Engineers; Pearson; and SCE Enterprise – Stevenson College, Edinburgh.

In particular, our Aviation Fire Fighting Courses are aimed at personnel who are employed to carry out rescue and firefighting (RFF) duties at licensed aerodromes, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to carry out their role safely and competently.

Our Compartment Fire Fighting Training Course was developed and introduced in early 2010 as is designed to suit both airport and local authority fire and rescue services.

While the practices developed have been based upon experience of fires within buildings and structures, and it is accepted that insufficient research has been conducted on fires in aircraft to verify these principles, it is appropriate to utilise this work to underpin this training within the airport fire service. Equally, it should be remembered that certain specific risks can be found within our response area. These include terminals, piers, hangars and other structures within maintenance areas which may present the same compartmental conditions as faced by local fire and rescue authorities.

IAFPA Bulletin looks at the training provision offered by the Edinburgh Airport Fire Training Centre

For more information please contact [email protected] or alternatively +44 (0)131 344 3359

training & events

WHAT’S ON...

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia hosted a high profile international Airborne

Early Warning and Control Conference and Exhibition at the Prince Hotel on the 29th and 30th of November 2011.

Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Rodzali Bin Daud, Chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force provided a visionary speech into the future and expanding roles of these aircraft in supporting National Responsibilities including: Search and Rescue, Piracy and Counter Drug Operations and Border Security.

Delegates and speakers from 11 countries attended this first event for the region, which focussed on using aircraft to assist a country in providing a safe

Malaysia: Airport Security Asia 2012, to be held on February

27-28 in Kuala Lumpur, promises to highlight various aspects of security spanning all relevant airport operation. IQPC, the organisers of the event, say that first-hand case studies from civil aviation, airport and law enforcement authorities will help delegates to learn more about current airport expansion, security projects and best practice in the industry.

The organisers add that delegates will hear from: Civil aviation and airport authorities; airport managers; law enforcement authorities; aviation security directors; commanders; aviation security inspectors; heads of security; heads of operations; and security managers.

More info: www.iqpc.com

A round-up of aviation fire, security and resilience events and training seminars around the world

UNDERSTANDING CROWD BEHAVIOUR AT AIRPORTS AND ELSEWHERE

Switzerland: The relevance of pedestrian and evacuation dynamics

to all those involved in airport passenger fire safety can be of vital importance. A better understanding of human behaviour can be the key to planning and management of pedestrian flows, especially in an emergency, and a limited view from one perspective or from one planning discipline could hamper emergency planning and responses.

The organisers of an event to be held in Zurich this June comment that the ever-growing number of buildings and events that see throughput of hundreds and thousands of visitors, coupled with the increasing complexity of the built environment, all point to a greater need for improved understanding of pedestrian behaviour. “The need to be prepared to handle more and more complex incident scenarios of fire, terrorism and large-scale community disasters give us

reason to focus on the understanding of the behaviour of humans as pedestrians and evacuation dynamics,” comments a spokesperson for the Pedestrian and Evacuation Dynamics (PED) conference.

The event will examine issues such as “Behaviour assessment of individuals in crowds – a view from the perspective of aviation and airport security” and “New developments in crowd management, safety and dynamics – managing risk for safer crowded places.” Conference topics will include: Behavioural aspects of pedestrian movements; data collection techniques; recent disaster case studies, analysis and conclusions; evacuation and pedestrian data collection from experiments and real events; and regional evacuation.

PED conference takes place on June 5 to June 8, 2012 in the Science City Campus at ETH Zurich, Switzerland; details from: www.ped2012.org

homeland for its people and ensuring the security of its borders.

“This event brings to the forefront the versatility of these aircraft that can really present a huge capability in homeland affairs and in particular in support of a Government’s obligations to ensure it protects its civilians and borders in times of crisis and disaster. ‘’ says Phil Guy, Managing Director, Tangent Link Ltd, the event organiser.

Major international defence companies such as Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin UK and Airbus Military were in attendance and showcasing their products and services at the exhibition, which was held alongside the event.

Securing Land, Air and Sea Transport Systems is designed to be an

effective high-level, three-day course for government and the transport industry experts to learn, and enhance their knowledge on a wide-range of issues related to our security environment.

The Advanced Transport Security Training team says it has consulted with transport operators and security professionals to address their key transport security priorities and, in 2012 will be focusing on: Strategy; Technology; Funding; Operations; and Programmes. The event’s organisers say the training has been designed for: Security chiefs; safety chiefs; airport emergency service chiefs and officers; security commissioners; training chiefs; HazMat specialists; and many others.

Details from: [email protected]

AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING EVENT

TRAINING IN ASIA


IAFPA Winter 2012

Documents

Transcript of IAFPA Winter 2012