What should firefighters do in the presence of aircraft?

Yielding to aircraft is essential for ensuring the safety of both the firefighters and the aircraft operations. When responding to incidents involving aircraft, firefighters must prioritize maintaining a safe distance and allowing aircraft to maneuver as necessary. Aircraft, especially during takeoff and landing, require clear runways and taxiways, and firefighters are trained to respect these operational protocols to avoid any accidents or complications.

By yielding to aircraft, firefighters ensure that their actions do not interfere with the aircraft's operations. This is particularly crucial in emergency situations where the pilot may need to take evasive actions that could put both the aircraft and emergency responders at risk. Furthermore, this practice aligns with standard aviation safety protocols, which prioritize the integrity of flight operations above immediate firefighting actions.

The other options suggest courses of action that could lead to dangerous situations, such as advancing immediately toward the aircraft without assessment, which can create chaos; extinguishing a fire without assessing could worsen the situation; and notifying ground control only may neglect the necessary on-scene decision-making and physical safety protocols.