VIDEO: Firefighters from across the state battled flames in a training exercise Wednesday afternoon, preparing for an aviation emergency. Miami Dade International Airport firefighters trained to fight an airplane engine fire, fuel fire, or wheel fire at the Charlotte County Fire and EMS Training Facility. Flames were burning at all angles, simulating the unpredictable nature of an aviation emergency. Firefighters felt the heat during the training exercise.
โIt gives them a nice practice, something different on top of all the training they do, and itโs also an FAA requirement that all firefighters at airports train once a year on a facility or a mobile trainer,โ Battalion Chief Larry Lipple said. He added they try to simulate as real a fire as possible, teaching hose management, applying water to the fuselage, and an engine fire, a wheel fire, or a fuel fire.
The simulator is a full-size plane, with a 64-foot wingspan, an 11-foot-high passenger compartment, and a 55 square foot cockpit. Itโs an elite training opportunity for the firefighters, including simulated cockpit fires, fuel spills, and attempting search and rescue for passengers. The training helps keep firefighters at the top of their game when it comes to airport safety.
