Aircraft Rescue Firefighter

An Aircraft Rescue Firefighter is there to extinguish the flames when an airplane crashes or faces an emergency. When an airplane is in trouble, it’s as if all the occupants of an apartment building are stuffed into one small metal tube, and the more people there are in an enclosed space, the greater the danger.

Plane crashes and accidents are rare, but when they do happen, the possibility of mass casualty is high. More often than not, an Aircraft Rescue Firefighter’s involvement is merely precautionary. The usual day-to-day consists of running drills and checking equipment for malfunction. But if a plane goes down, the Aircraft Rescue Firefighters are the first on the site, speeding towards the crash.

Your first priority is to save lives. If someone is hurt, you may have to perform emergency first aid on the spot. But even when everyone’s been safely evacuated off the plane, your task isn’t over yet.

Airplanes carry a lot of fuel, especially if they haven’t taken off yet, and that fuel is a live bomb waiting to be ignited by a spark. You spray dry chemicals and special extinguishing foams to make sure nothing erupts. Lightning fast, you react to each hazard and quench it before anything has the chance to go “Boom!”

Once you shed your 50 pounds of gear and reflective suiting, you may be a bit sweaty and sore. Each day is another chance to find yourself in a hot and perilous situation, but every time you suit up, you’re doing your part to keep those who take to the air safe.