Looks like 1, possibly 2 firetrucks deployed any hoses, the rest, along with their crew are standing around twiddling their thumbs. Meanwhile an entire airport is shut down. Totally unacceptable.
Im an active vol firefighter and I've also been embedded at Gatwick airport and other UK stations attending callouts.
I'd say that the majority of the smaller trucks in the aerial view are from neighbouring non airport fire stations and are not airport service trucks.
In respect to activity after the smoke has cleared.
Some of the thumb twidling was a debrief.
Debriefs are vital for ongoing training and improvement of response, especially given that a typical airport fire service has very few actual fires compared to a city station.
Non airport fire service vehicles may need escorting in and out.
The fire service also has to be available to respond to numerous calls within terminals and hangers.
A fire on any vehicle that potentially contains thousands of gallons of fuel that is located near a building occupied by thousands of members of public is always going to be dealt with on a worst case scenario.
How long does it take to be assured that fuel tanks have not been compromised and the source of ignition has been found and extinguished/made safe?
There are a myriad of odd bizzare and low probability risks that have to be factored. ie who is to say that an electrical problem on the damaged 787 would start unwanted fuel dumping?
None of the above tasks is easy to fully investigate in a complex craft with numerous batteries and fuel tanks.
Also a little time taken to deal with contaminated turnout kit and replenishing foam and water all add up.
So that the airport was closed for an hour is not surprising.
The simple solution is to have significant extra capacity of vehicles and crew at a significant extra cost rather than to suggest poor practice and management are to blame for a one hour closure.