Airservices announces four new ARFF stations

Airservices' recently opened Broome ARFF and control tower facility. — Airservices’ recently opened Broome ARFF and control tower facility.

Airservices Australia has announced plans to open four new Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) services at Gladstone, Queensland, Newman, Western Australia and Ballina and Coffs Harbour in New South Wales by the end 0f 2014.

The need for ARFF services at these locations is being driven by increased traffic from growing fly-in/fly-out mine charter traffic and a rise in low cost carrier leisure flying. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority mandates that airports require an ARFF service once traffic levels reach 350,000 passengers a year.

Executive general manager ARFF, Michelle Bennetts said that Airservices is “bolstering our fire fighter numbers and vehicle fleet to meet the new service requirements and in the next three years around 240 new fire fighters will need to be recruited into the service. Additionally, Airservices has on order a further eight ultra-large fire vehicles which will help us meet our future service requirements.”