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With the addition of five new crash trucks, Houston’s airports are now better equipped than ever to handle emergency situations
Houston Airport System
October 13, 2006

Here is the scenario: a Boeing 737 is flying into William P. Hobby Airport with a broken wing tank. Although it is still fairly intact, the wings are still 10-15 feet off of the ground. Fuel is flowing and the column is on fire.

In a situation like this, Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighters (ARFF) only have between 90 seconds to two minutes to start applying an extinguishing agent to the aircraft before it burns through. An exit path must also be created in order to start getting passengers out.

With the addition of five new crash trucks to the ARFF pool of firefighting vehicles, this year, rescue workers at Houston’s airports are now able to accomplish this task at even faster speeds.

The new Rosenbauer Panther Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting 6x6 crash trucks, sometimes referred to as simply Panthers, that were purchased by the Houston Airport System (HAS) earlier this year are equipped with the latest in technology – including a high reach extendable turret (HRET), also known as a snozzle. These vehicles can reach speeds of up to 50 miles per hour in 27 seconds.

The HRET helps ARFF attack fires by inserting a piercing nozzle into the skin of an aircraft in order to apply the extinguishing agent or agents. In the case of an aircraft, the extinguishing agents would be three: water, foam and Purple K, a dry chemical that is particularly useful in putting out aircraft fires.

“The need for the latest technology and advanced performance characteristics are what we incorporated into the Panther,” says Marty Huffman, ARFF program manager for the Rosenbauer General Division. “This vehicle allows fire fighters the ability to rapidly respond, arrive safely and make the difference needed during an aircraft incident.”

ARFF services are of critical importance, as these vehicles must be able to respond at a moment’s notice and perform perfectly – especially if lives are to be saved.

Unlike ordinary fire trucks that require at least four people to operate them, ARFF’s crash trucks only require one operator. These vehicles are highly specialized pieces of fire fighting apparatus that incorporate many pieces of advanced technology.

“Having an extendable turret (HRET) on the ARFF vehicle out performs the traditional fire fighting methods by extinguishing fires faster,” says Don Hoyt, senior captain and assistant ARFF coordinator, “It distributes less agents and increases accuracy of the application of needed agents by positioning the HRET close to the source of the fire.”

Compared to the older vehicles, the technology is above and beyond. The new vehicles are very agile and have a decreased turning radius, making them more capable in terms of positioning the truck for the proper attack angle. Improved controls make maneuvering the snozzle even more intuitive, which result in greater accuracy in getting the extinguishing agent to the source of the fire.

“The new Rosenbauer Panthers are exceptional vehicles,” says Mark Mancuso, deputy director of public safety and technology for the Houston Airport System. “They are more powerful than their predecessors and capable of rapid response to emergencies. These vehicles give us more flexibility and utility for better ARFF management, resulting in a safer airport for all of our passengers.”

The Panthers are significantly heavier as well, weighing between 50,000 and 80,000 pounds more than the traditional ARFF crash trucks. They can also carry more water, up to 3,000 gallons to be exact.

The older models did not have computer control operations; there was a switch for every component. Now, multi function switches are able to integrate commands, which take some time getting used to, but makes the process easier and faster.

To familiarize the ARFF staff with these new vehicles Les Fulgham, training captain for the Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighters, held training sessions qith each of the 140 members of the Houston Airport System’s ARFF team.

“The need for these highly specialized vehicles on an airport cannot be understated,” said Huffman. “Houston has some of the busiest airports in the world. Having these vehicles available could in the worst case situation, mean the difference between an unimaginable disaster and saving lives.”

Bush Intercontinental Airport received three 6x6 Panthers, while Hobby Airport received one 6x6 Panther and a 4x4 as well. The 6x6 crash tracks can hold 3000 gallons of water, 400 gallons of foam and 500 pounds of Purple K. The 4x4 Panther holds 1,500 gallons of water, 200 gallons of foam and 500 pounds of Purple K.