fire cover
"Isn't the local fire service sufficient? Light aircraft accidents tend to be no worse that car accidents."
Airport fire service must make response time of 3 mins maximum to a fixed wing incident, 2 mins for rotary. "Time" is crash alarm to foam production. Local authority cannot match this and fully admit to minimal specialised knowledge about aircraft, they will assist but choose to stay clear. They don't have any brief about undercarriages, ejector seats, ballistic parachutes etc. They will be the first to admit that they are not the experts.
Please bear in mind that at the majority of GA airfields the fire crew are already on site as engineers, ops , maintainence etc. ie multi- tasked. Just cos a list of lives saved FROM FIRE can't be produced does not mean to say that the actions of the RFFS has not saved anybody. Prompt application of qualified first aid, making safe of wreckage, dealing with fuel spills, preparedness for worst case scenarios and preservation of evidence for AAIB inquiry purposes have all assisted at aircraft accidents and are all elements of the Airport Fire Service role.
"I wouldn't dream of telling you how to be a pilot, don't tell me how to save your ass."