Tinstaafl,
there will NEVER be absolute safety in anything! But why not provide at least a minimum if it can make a difference? I'm sure many firefighters here in pprune would agree that they would rather sit around and do nothing then to not be there when needed!
Training IS more risky... the instructor cannot always recover the mistakes the student may do, and the student isn't practised enough. And excercises are performed in training that are not a part of everyday flying and COULD go wrong (like aborting take-off, etc.).
The cost isn't that much... the personel do not necessarily have to be "professional" firefighters... it's enough to have the field regulars trained in using the equipment! At some of the fields in Germany the club members get together once a year with the local fire department for a simulated training event. Or you can have the local department at least demonstrate to all the pilots that are stationed at the field and ground personel in the use of extinquishers! That doesn't cost anything! But at least they know how to handle them in case of an emergency!
And once the equipment is purchased, the only cost is having fuel in the vehicle and the extinquishers checked every 2 years. The vehicle itself can be an old fire truck that some professional department can't use anymore due to old age.... at a small local air field it's perfectly ok!
I don't see where the problem is really. I know that even having all the equipment on the field may not save the day, but it MAY just make the difference.
I rest my case
Westy