What is the primary goal of an Airport Rescue Fire Fighter (ARFF)?

The primary goal of an Airport Rescue Fire Fighter (ARFF) is to protect life, property, and the environment. This encompasses a broad range of responsibilities, including responding quickly to aircraft emergencies, rescuing individuals in danger, and mitigating the impact of incidents on the surrounding environment. ARFF teams are specially trained to handle various emergency situations, such as aircraft fires, fuel spills, and other hazardous materials incidents that may occur in and around the airport.

While eliminating all aircraft emergencies might seem like a desirable goal, it is unrealistic, as emergencies can arise unexpectedly despite the best preventive measures. Ensuring that airport facilities are fireproof is also important, but the focus of ARFF is more on dealing with fires that occur rather than on the preventive design of structures. Training airport staff on fire safety is a component of overall safety measures, but it is just one aspect of the much larger mission that ARFF personnel undertake, which primarily centers on actively protecting those in danger and minimizing damage during emergencies.