Airport Firefighter Course

Lesson 1 • Regulatory and Standards Overview

Introduces aviation fire safety regulations and international standards governing ARFF operations. Provides the compliance context applied in all subsequent chapters.

Lesson 2 • The Airport Fire Environment

Defines the physical and operational characteristics of airports that create distinct hazards. Connects environmental awareness to safe ARFF deployment decisions.

Lesson 3 • ARFF Roles and Responsibilities

Outlines the duties of ARFF personnel from first responder to incident commander. Establishes accountability structures used throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Personal Safety and Approach Protocols

Establishes safe approach angles, distances, and personal protective practices for ARFF personnel. Reinforces hazard knowledge through applied safety decision-making.

Lesson 2 • Cargo and Special Hazard Materials

Addresses dangerous goods carried as air cargo and their interaction with fire suppression. Links hazard identification to pre-incident planning discussed later.

Lesson 3 • Aircraft Systems Hazard Awareness

Identifies hydraulic, pneumatic, oxygen, and electrical systems that pose risks during incidents. Prepares responders to avoid system-specific injuries during approach and rescue.

Lesson 4 • Aviation Fuel Hazards

Examines properties of Jet-A, Avgas, and alternative aviation fuels and their fire behavior. Directly informs suppression agent selection covered in later chapters.

Lesson 1 • Heat Stress and Physiological Limits

Addresses heat stress recognition, hydration protocols, and work-rest cycles for PPE-encapsulated firefighters. Directly supports safe participation in live fire exercises.

Lesson 2 • Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus

Covers SCBA components, donning sequences, air management, and emergency procedures. SCBA proficiency is prerequisite to all interior and fire attack sections.

Lesson 3 • PPE Inspection and Maintenance

Teaches pre-use inspection criteria, cleaning procedures, and storage requirements for all ARFF PPE. Ensures equipment readiness before each operational shift.

Lesson 1 • ARFF Vehicle Types and Capabilities

Surveys major and rapid intervention vehicle categories, capacities, and performance specifications. Provides the equipment baseline for all vehicle operation sections.

Lesson 2 • Auxiliary Equipment and Tools

Identifies forcible entry tools, cutting equipment, and specialized ARFF tools carried on vehicles. Ensures students can locate and deploy tools rapidly during incidents.

Lesson 3 • Turret and Roof Nozzle Operations

Teaches fixed and oscillating turret operation, flow rates, and pattern selection for aircraft fires. Connects agent delivery theory from Chapter 4 to vehicle-mounted systems.

Lesson 4 • Hand Line Deployment and Techniques

Covers hand line selection, deployment from ARFF vehicles, and foam application techniques on foot. Prepares students for close-in rescue support operations.

Lesson 1 • Agent Application Strategies

Applies agent knowledge to fuel spill fires, three-dimensional fires, and interior aircraft fires. Synthesizes all agent types into tactical decision-making frameworks.

Lesson 2 • Fluorine-Free Foam and Alternatives

Covers fluorine-free foam formulations, performance differences, and transition considerations for ARFF stations. Addresses the evolving regulatory landscape for foam agents.

Lesson 3 • Aqueous Film-Forming Foam Fundamentals

Explains AFFF chemistry, expansion ratios, and film-forming mechanism on hydrocarbon fuels. Establishes the primary suppression agent knowledge base for ARFF operations.

Lesson 4 • Foam Proportioning and System Checks

Teaches proportioner types, concentrate injection rates, and system testing procedures on ARFF vehicles. Ensures correct foam solution delivery before live fire application.

Lesson 1 • Rescue in Specialized Aircraft Scenarios

Addresses rescue challenges in cargo aircraft, helicopters, and general aviation incidents. Extends standard rescue skills to non-commercial aircraft environments.

Lesson 2 • Patient Removal Techniques

Teaches spinal precaution, rapid extraction, and equipment-assisted removal from aircraft cabins. Connects triage priorities to safe and efficient patient movement.

Lesson 3 • Rescue Priority and Triage Principles

Establishes mass casualty triage systems adapted for aircraft incidents and rescue priority sequencing. Provides the decision framework applied in all rescue practical exercises.

Lesson 4 • Aircraft Access and Forcible Entry

Covers normal and emergency access points, door operation, and forcible entry techniques for major aircraft types. Builds access skills prerequisite to patient removal training.

Lesson 1 • Continuous Improvement and Lessons Learned

Establishes processes for capturing incident lessons, updating plans, and integrating industry safety data. Completes the planning cycle with a culture of continuous operational improvement.

Lesson 2 • Training Exercises and Drills

Covers tabletop, functional, and full-scale exercise design for airport emergency preparedness. Builds exercise facilitation skills that validate and improve emergency plans.

Lesson 3 • Pre-Incident Surveys and Familiarization

Teaches systematic pre-incident survey methods for aircraft types and airport facilities. Translates hazard knowledge from earlier chapters into actionable pre-fire plans.

Lesson 4 • Notification and Alert Systems

Examines aircraft emergency notification categories, alert levels, and ARFF activation procedures. Ensures rapid and correctly scaled responses to declared emergencies.

Lesson 1 • Multi-Agency Coordination

Addresses coordination with law enforcement, EMS, airline operations, and airport authority during incidents. Prepares students for the complex stakeholder environment of real airport emergencies.

Lesson 2 • ICS Structure for Airport Incidents

Adapts the standard incident command system to the airport environment and ARFF-specific functions. Establishes the command framework used in all scenario-based exercises.

Lesson 3 • Post-Incident Operations

Covers overhaul, scene preservation, equipment rehabilitation, and after-action review processes. Closes the incident management cycle and feeds lessons into future planning.

Lesson 4 • Size-Up and Initial Actions

Teaches systematic size-up procedures for aircraft emergencies and the first five minutes of command. Builds rapid assessment skills applied in timed scenario exercises.