Fire categories at airports

[WaterMeths]

Hello all......

Curiosity has gotten the better of me after having a look through our company ops manual. The minimum fire category we can accept under normal conditions is "6". Thats fine, I can live with that, but where can I find a reference/description of what the different categories are. I have had a look on the internet and cannot find anything very useful. I don't have the Jepps text manual to hand either.

Thanks in advance.........

[A Very Civil Pilot]

CAP 168 (here) (http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP168.PDF)


3 Minimum Scale of Services to be Provided
3.1 The level of protection provided by an aerodrome shall be described in terms of the
aerodrome RFF category determined by the means identified below.
3.2 In relation to fixed wing aircraft, the term ‘RFF Category’ is supplemented with a
number between one and ten, Category Ten being the highest.
3.3 The Aerodrome RFF Category is determined by the size of aeroplanes operating at the
aerodrome. The facilities required by aerodromes accepting large public transport
aircraft may be greater and more complex in organisation than those at aerodromes
where only flying instruction is carried out or where only small public transport aircraft
operate. To simplify the identification of applicable requirements, those relevant only
to the lower category aerodromes (Rescue and Firefighting Category ‘Special’ up to
and including RFF Category Two) have been separated from the main body of this
chapter and are included at Appendix 8G. However, the licensing requirements set
out below apply to all aerodromes irrespective of size.
3.4 The RFF Category provided and promulgated by an aerodrome shall be determined in
a consistent manner with reference to Table 8.1 and shall be based on the largest
aircraft expected to use the aerodrome over a given 12 month period.
3.5 When past traffic levels are unavailable, the level of RFFS should be assessed from
the best available information. The basis for this assessment should be recorded.
3.6 When using Table 8.1 it is essential to consider both the aeroplane length and the
maximum fuselage width. If, after selecting the category appropriate to the largest
aeroplane’s overall length, that aeroplane’s fuselage width is greater than the
maximum fuselage width in Table 8.1, then the requirement will be to apply the next
highest category, as appropriate.
Table 8.1 Category for Rescue and Fire Fighting
Aerodrome Category
(RFF)
Aeroplane Overall Length
Maximum Fuselage
Width
Special up to but not including 9m 2m
1 up to but not including 9m 2m
2 9m up to but not including 12m 2m
3 12m up to but not including 18m 3m
4 18m up to but not including 24m 4m
5 24m up to but not including 28m 4m
6 28m up to but not including 39m 5m
7 39m up to but not including 49m 5m
8 49m up to but not including 61m 7m
9 61m up to but not including 76m 7m
10 76m up to but not including 90m 8m


This last bit is a table but didn't paste very well!

[WaterMeths]

VCP,

Thanks for going to the trouble to look this up. It surprises me that the category is based on purely size of aircraft, although the Fire Service obviously guarantee that they have the procedures etc to handle an accident with an aircraft of that size in a given time, I would imagine.......

I will have a look at the CAP. Thanks.

[A Very Civil Pilot]

It's based on the size of the a/c, and each category has a specified minimum level of equipment and personel available.

If the airport is only going to get SEP/MEP a/c then there is no need to have 3 foam producing tenders and so on, when a bloke with a bucket will do. However a 737-800 will require more equipment.

Also it's going to be a really bad day if you need to use all your category 7 equipment on more than one a/c at once, so if the biggest aircraft you get is a 737-800, you only need enough equipment/personel to cover one fire.

[WaterMeths]

Thanks again VCP. Fully understood. I might even go and have a chat with the firemen at my base, I am getting more interested in this subject as I go along.