A little-known fact is that on San Diego International Airport’s airfield are specialized firefighters who are always on call. They are the firefighters with the Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) station, and they are knowledgeable about aircraft, the airport layout and its functions, the specialized equipment they use, which is more technical than municipal firefighting equipment, and even the airport landing lights at night. They will tell you it’s a low-frequency but high-risk job where they would be called to break into burning aircraft to help rescue passengers, disable electrical systems, and extinguish flames. Here’s a look at their typical day:
8:00 a.m.
Specialized ARFF firefighters from the San Diego Fire Department arrive at the ARFF station at SAN to relieve the previous night’s firefighters. Shifts at ARFF are 24 hours with eight people per shift. The firefighters put their gear on, check their equipment out, and set up their uniforms and trucks for the day.
8:30 a.m.
The morning meeting is held where they are briefed about the previous day and notified of any special drills or training.
8:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Firefighters do a red phone check with the FAA tower and the ramp tower. In the event of an emergency, the red phone will ring loudly throughout the station and speakers outside.
9:00 a.m.
Firefighters begin doing house chores. The ARFF station is like their second home, so maintaining the station clean and organized is part of the job. They also run and inspect the equipment, including the hoses, trucks, and fire hydrants to make sure everything is working and properly replenished.
10 a.m.
Workout time at the gym.
11:30 p.m. -12 p.m.
Lunch time. The firefighters will typically eat together in the common area, but only one firefighter is allowed to leave the airport campus to run errands per FAA rules.
2 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Downtime. Besides the gym, the station also has a TV room, a foosball table, and dorms for each firefighter.
2:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.
This is when any special drills or training happen, driving on the airfield, and studying for self-development and promotional opportunities.
5 p.m.
End of business day!
