Aircraft Rescue/Firefighting

Chief Gary D. Caskey Aviation Task Force

Passengers and flight crews traveling into or out of the Shreveport Regional Airport can take comfort in knowing that in the event of an aviation emergency, the Aviation Task Force crews of the Shreveport Fire Department are only seconds away. Trained to meet Federal Aviation Administration and National Fire Protection Association standards, the sixty-three member Task Force is always prepared to respond to an aircraft incident.

The crews are stationed at the ARFF (Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting) Station which is located in the exact middle of the airport. The crews utilize three aircraft rescue and fire fighting apparatus, and an EMS Quick-Response Vehicle. These huge, all-terrain vehicles are equipped with water, foam, chemicals, and rescue tools, that would be used in the event of an aircraft emergency. The Task Forces' arsenal also includes a Chevy Suburban designated as "Charlie 5". It is utilized as an EMS Quick Response Vehicle, providing patrons at the airport with quick and efficient pre-hospital medical care. The vehicle is manned by EMT's and Paramedics and carries the latest in pre-hospital medical equipment such as an Automatic Electronic Defibrillator, IV therapy equipment, and various other equipment.

The Task Force recently received a technology upgrade on their 1995 Oshkosh “Snozzle” truck.  It now is equipped with the latest version of “Snozzle” boom and turret, which is an elevated waterway which has aircraft piercing capability.   Also added in this upgrade was a new joystick configuration, along with a new “Hydro-Chem” nozzle, which allows “Purple-K-W” dry chemical,  to be dispersed inside the main nozzle water stream, thus changing its’ effective range from approximately 40’ to 270’.

Other major technology upgrade included the mounting of a high resolution color camera, with zoom and the addition of a FLIR (Forward Looking Infra-Red) camera.  The FLIR camera gives the unit and its’ operator’s the capability of seeing hot-spots on an aircraft prior to arrival, thus allowing them to attack the source of the fire more directly, and see through heavy smoke and adverse weather conditions.  The FLIR also allows the operator to drive the vehicle in little to no visibility using the camera in conjunction with its’ color monitor on the inside of the vehicle’s cab.  The vehicle is now equipped with a Digital Multi-Channel Recorder, which records all events from the cameras while the vehicle in being used.

As a note the vehicle’s piercing nozzle has been replaced with the new “Flight-Line” First Attack nozzle, which with its rotating water dispersal system, allows for a finer water droplet spray pattern, allowing for faster and better steam conversion, thus allowing it to put out fires inside the aircraft quicker and more efficiently.  The SFD Aviation Task Force was instrumental in the design and development of this version of this nozzle.

In early 2008, the SFD Aviation Task Force and the Shreveport Airport Authority, took delivery of a new Crash Truck. The vehicle is designated “Charlie 1”. The new vehicle is a Oshkosh “Striker” 3000, and replaced the oldest vehicle in our fleet. New features of this unit include a FLIR camera and Hi-Definition camera with Mega-Zoom, and 360 degree rotating capability. The truck is also equipped with DEVS (Drivers Enhanced Vision System) technology, which allows for driving in zero visibility, by using the its’ onboard GPS unit, heads-up display with satellite overlay image of the airfield, and the FLIR image. It also has an integrated twenty foot light tower, and rear wheel steering assist, allowing for longer tire life by reducing tire scrubbing. Another new feature on this vehicle is its limited structural pump panel, which allows for pumping through regular fire hoses at variable pressures and would be mainly used in the event of a structure fire within the confines of the Airport perimeter fence. All of this equipment is designed, manned, and maintained, in an effort to make our flying patrons stay in Shreveport, as comfortable and safe as possible.