The Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting Working Group (ARFFWG) hosted its second ARFF Summit April 8-9 at the Indiana Convention Center at FDIC International 2025.
“We will give fire departments and airports tools to address organizational barriers and have collaborative problem solving amongst ARFF peers,” says Gina Gonzales, ARFFWG board member and ARFF engineer, Loveland (CO) Fire Rescue Authority.
ARFF is a special category of firefighting that involves the response, hazard mitigation, evacuation, and rescue of passengers and crew of an aircraft involved in an emergency, Gonzales says. “Even more so, it involves the intricate relationships between numerous agencies, local, private, and the federal government. This summit will assist fire departments and airports find critical gaps in response and build those relationships.”
The summit was attended by emergency response agencies with the classification of Index A to Index E and category 1-10. There were attendees from North America, The Netherlands, and Saint Lucia, an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. Agencies from Beijing, China, and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, signed up for the summit.
In addition to emergency response departments, the following agencies also attended: National Fire Protection Association, the U.S. military, United Airlines, Ventura County (CA) fleet maintenance, airport management, and a public safety director.
The ARFF Working Group wants to help facilitate its members so that airports have continuity of operations, said Jason Schnase, Battalion Chief, Port of Seattle (WA) Fire Department, and former ARFFWG President. It is important for all airport divisions and fire departments to work together toward a common goal, he said.
When problems and challenges arise, Schnase wanted those in attendance to know, “you are not alone,” he said. “We all have the same issues just on a different scale.”
Here were some of the benefits for those attending the summit:
Address Organizational Barriers
Attendees received tips on effective incident response. Effective incident response relies heavily on strong relationships among all stakeholders. To ensure seamless coordination, it is essential to understand the roles and responsibilities of every organization that may be involved in an aircraft incident. As mandated by FAR Part 139, each certificated airport must have an Airport Emergency Plan (AEP) that outlines specific duties for each responding department. Familiarizing yourself with your airport’s AEP, identifying key players, and building relationships with them beforehand is crucial for efficient incident response.
Collaborative Problem Solving
Airport rescue and firefighting capabilities vary significantly worldwide, with each airport facing unique challenges and opportunities. Despite the rarity of aircraft incidents, they represent the highest potential risk, making safety for pilots and travelers our top priority. This summit provides a dynamic platform for experts to share insights, exchange innovative ideas, and learn from diverse experiences. The summit will address challenges, show how to leverage strengths, and enhance ARFF response to improve safety across the aviation industry.
Network with Peers
The summit gathers leaders in their departments that service, or manage, airports of all sizes from many different countries. That means true interaction among peers. It means everyone is a decision-maker. The discussions at the summit are focused and there is a good opportunity for networking.
Connect with Global Fire Protection Experts
At the core of this summit is the ARFFWG, a non-profit member organization that has been championing aviation fire protection and prevention since