Emergency USA v UK
 

When an aircraft in the UK has a problem and has to return to the departure airport or divert it seems the airport fire service at chosen arrival airport is already waiting . Same for inbound flights.

In the USA it seems they ask do you "want the trucks" .

Surely prepare for the worst and hope for the best is the way it should be.

Interested to hear from both sides of the pond.
(Blue lights. Out from the station)

Totally agree … it is easier to 'stand down' crews etc than to play catch-up!

............... or, the return is due more for operational reasons rather than safety reasons (ie it's easier to get a fairly minor thing fixed while still at Base rather than down the line). Returned once shortly after departure (in the UK) to have a sudden nav fault looked at ahead of a series of flights later that day as easiest fixed back at Base before down the line. Clear explanation to ATC as to why returning shortly after departure, not even a "Pan" declared (declined when asked if about to declare as simply not needed). Met by full F&RS on roll-out!!!! :eek:

Chatting to ATC while fault being rectified, reason for the welcoming committee? The F&RS boys and girls were bored and needed some "practice" apparently!!! :E

Maybe the question being asked in the US has more to do with the disruption of having, for no real problem, loads of extra vehicles scooting about on the field and how quickly it would be to return all Deps/Arrivals back to normal. Ultimately, the A/C Commander can make that call depending on various things incl nature of the emergency itself, whether now fully contained but duty-bound to return or anything else. Probably best to answer are the airfield operators/airline Ops as it should all be down in SOPs as to how individual fields/airlines respond.

As I said, some just like the excitement of chasing a live a/c down the runway ....... but, hopefully, not to roll the damn fire engine while on a practice shout as once happened!!!! ;)

A long, long time ago I was once on a BA Shuttle from LHR to EDI and as we were coming in to land, our Captain Speaking informed us not to be alarmed on landing as the rescue services wanted a bit of practice and would be chasing us as we touched down and made our way towards the terminal

When training many years ago in a humble PA28 (just the two of us) we had a minor engine burp on take off. The instructor, being older and wiser than I,
diagnosed o possible engine failure, and we ran away bravely back to the airfield. As we rolled out on final there were at least three fire engines, an ambulance,
and several other bums and stiffs waiting on the side lines to see us in. I thought this a bit OTT for just two of us, until the instructor mentioned that this was SOP at the
airport for any emergency.

Thinking about it some 20 years later, I get a nice rosy glow thinking that all those people were ready to come and help me should I have needed it.