Firefighting On Planes

With a focus on the Boeing 787 batteries, this article discusses firefighter training and response.  Of important note is the difficulty of accessing the larger Airbus 380.

Fighting Fire on the Runway

"The goal is to provide a means of egress," he said. "They might be all foamed up when we're done, but they'll be alive."


Airplanes burn quickly, especially if fires are fed by jet fuel from engines and ruptured tanks.


Among issues for firefighters: A standard 24-foot ladder isn't enough to get on top of the wing of an A380, so should trucks carry 34-foot ladders that require extra manpower? What if booms on trucks can't reach the top of the three-story cabin to break through and spray foam?
"Everything is twice as challenging on the A380," said Alan Black, head of DFW's Department of Public Safety.


Firefighters used hand-held thermal imaging cameras to find a softball-sized heat signature, according to Chief Donahue.