A new aerodrome rescue and firefighting (ARFF) station at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport will be commissioned on Friday.
Constructed as per the standards set by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and Civil Aviation Requirements category IX, the new building has an area of 1,838 sqm and is equipped with modern camera system and communication equipment that can fully monitor the operational area, including the runway, 24x7.
According to a release issue by the airport on Wednesday, the project would cost a sum of ₹13 crore. The fire station can cater to future capacity expansion and needs of ARFF of Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. The building also has extensive working and resting facilities for firefighting personnel working in shifts. A total of 96 specially trained personnel are currently available to manage round-the-clock operations. The new station comprises parking bays for 12 Crash Fire Tenders (CFT). It has a central fire control tower of height 14.15 m.
Associated structures like 6,000 sqm hard stand area for CFT maneuvering, underground sump of 1,00,000 litres, and overhead water tank of 50,000 litres, are also constructed to cater to category IX specifications. PA system, fire alarm system, and allied electrical and electronic installations have also been put in place. By increasing the capacity of pipelines, fire fighting vehicles could be filled with water in four minutes when earlier, it took about 10 minutes, said the release.
Smart training room, gym, recreation room, locker room, and special rest room for female staff, have also been provided. At present, there are five airfield crash fire tender vehicles in the station. Besides storing 12,000 liters of water, 1,500 liters of foam compound solution and 150 kg of dry chemical powder will also be available in each vehicle. Apart from this, all vehicles have life safety equipment including breathing apparatus and fire suits for five firefighting personnel. The services of five ambulances will be available 24 hours a day. For this, 28 personnel including medical nurses have been appointed.
