Florian Kubowski, Founder of ARFF Driving Academy, explains how specialised training improves safety and readiness for modern Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting operations
Responding to airport emergencies with an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) truck involves three critical components: reaching designated points within a defined timeframe, transporting adequate extinguishant and applying the required flow rate immediately upon arrival.
While these tasks seem straightforward, the operational reality is far more complex.
ARFF operators are responsible for the safe handling of vehicles weighing up to 58,000 kg, powered by up to 1,500 HP engines, with a width of up to 3 meters and often with four axles.
These trucks must traverse routes extending over 3 kilometers, navigating tight corners, high-speed sections (up to 140 km/h, limited by tire specifications) and other operational challenges.
In addition to driving, operators are responsible for managing tasks such as communication, route planning and maintaining situational awareness amidst intersecting traffic, aircraft and other vehicles.
Limited annual training mileage for most ARFF drivers adds to the difficulty.
To ensure effective training, exercises must be performance-oriented, rather than simply moving vehicles from point A to B.
Accidents involving ARFF trucks can result in significant operational disruptions, endanger personnel and lead to the loss of high-value vehicles.
They can and they do, force the closure of taxiways, runways, or even entire airports for extended periods.
The scarcity of ARFF trucks in the market further complicates the situation, as immediate replacements are rarely feasible.
Qualification and training
For over 50 years, airport fire departments worldwide have relied on ARFF trucks, with in-house expertise providing the primary training for drivers.
While well-intentioned, this approach often lacked standardised protocols, proficiency checks and integration of driving dynamics, which has resulted in the development of unique, airport-specific driving cultures.
Historically, ARFF driving was regarded as a specialised skill, with only a select group of firefighters trained and certified to operate these vehicles.
This specialisation ensured a higher level of familiarity and greater mileage per driver.
In the current operational environment, flexible shift scheduling has resulted in ARFF driving being designated as a general duty role, with firefighters assuming responsibility for a range of tasks, including vehicle operation.
This shift presents concerns regarding safety and the sufficiency of training, given the limited time and resources available for specialised preparation.
The absence of validated training standards and proficiency checks has resulted in considerable inconsistency in driver proficiency, with an overemphasis on speed without sufficient consideration of integrating safety buffers and wear on vehicles.
The high levels of tire and brake wear, inconsistent emergency response techniques and frequent accidents worldwide highlight the critical gaps in training and preparedness.
Understanding accident dynamics
A review of the underlying causes of accidents indicates that they are frequently the result of a complex interplay of factors, rather than the consequence of a single isolated human error.
The driving culture is of pivotal importance, with specific contributing factors including:
- Driver selection: Were firefighters optimally assigned to driving roles, taking into account their skills and aptitude?
- Training and awareness: Did drivers receive thorough and task-specific training to prepare them for ARFF operations?
- Ongoing practice: Were drivers given regular opportunities for advanced, scenario-based training beyond basic vehicle handling?
Inadequate training and preparation can lead to uncertainty, creating stress that compounds under the pressures of navigation, communication and simultaneous tasks.
Such scenarios can result in overwhelming situations, increasing the likelihood of accidents.
Addressing these gaps is essential.
New challenges
The dynamic between operators and ARFF vehicles is evolving due to generational shifts, advances in vehicle technology and cost pressures.
The younger generation of firefighters often demonstrates strong proficiency with digital tools and modern technologies but exhibits a lower average level of intrinsic motivation to engage deeply with vehicle mechanics or driving dynamics.
Furthermore, the increasing costs associated with obtaining truck driver licenses have resulted in a notable decline in the number of drivers entering the workforce with prior experience.
The acquisition of driver licenses is becoming increasingly integrated into onboarding processes, with new operators often gaining their first and only driving experience at their airports.
Concurrently, new ARFF vehicles, despite their enhanced capabilities and technological sophistication, have also become more straightforward and easier to operate.
While features such as quieter cabins, reduced vibrations and effortlessly steerable wheels enhance comfort and minimises disruptive influences, they can also diminish the tactile feedback drivers receive.
The lack of feedback, coupled with the enhanced mass and power of these vehicles, can present challenges for inexperienced drivers in terms of situational awareness and respect for the machine’s capabilities and limitations.
Furthermore, the rising costs of vehicles and their life cycles, combined with increased cost sensitivity, necessitate new approaches to balance quick response with efficiency, meaning reducing tire and brake wear and overall vehicle strain.
Training, safety and culture
To ensure future preparedness, fire departments must adopt a comprehensive, long-term approach to ARFF driver training.
The current operational culture, shaped over more than 50 years, requires deliberate efforts to integrate, optimise and adapt for future challenges.
Achieving this demands the creation of a robust training framework grounded in driving dynamics principles and tailored to the unique challenges of each airport, with guidance from experienced external professionals.
Training programs should emphasise safe, efficient driving techniques, operational readiness and vehicle preservation while remaining constructive and manageable for both drivers and instructors.
A step-by-step approach is essential to ensure effective skill development without overwhelming participants.
Standardised, aviation-compliant training and certification programs must be implemented, incorporating regular proficiency checks and hands-on exercises.
The guiding principle of “train like you play” ensures operators are fully prepared for real-world emergency scenarios.
Controlled training environments are equally critical to uphold safety standards and build driver confidence.
Fire departments should draw inspiration from aviation’s culture of open communication, constructive feedback and team awareness about driving.
The traditional, hierarchical approach to vehicle operation should give way to a collaborative model that fosters continuous learning and improvement.
Replacing short-term, ad-hoc training with structured, long-term programs will provide the foundation for a safer, more effective and future-ready ARFF driving workforce.
Recognising that operating an ARFF truck is a skill — one that must be learned and trained — not an innate ability.
Addressing human factors and stress
Human factors, particularly stress, are critical considerations in ARFF operations.
Effective training must teach drivers strategies for managing stress, improving decision-making under pressure and maintaining focus during emergencies.
The foundation for this is providing the right support to driving colleagues and teaching a driving style that can become second nature for all selected drivers, not just the most talented.
This approach ensures that driving “works” smoothly, maintaining safety buffers at all times without requiring 100% of the driver’s attention to be solely focused on driving.
Instead, it allows drivers to maintain situational awareness and manage other tasks simultaneously.
It is also crucial to address the specific challenges, fears and concerns of individual team members.
The key to reducing negative stress and its impacts is creating a training framework that supports drivers, allowing them to navigate challenges confidently without becoming overwhelmed by the demands.
Specialisation vs.
generalisation
Recognising that implementing specialised training is not effort-free, particularly when faced with the challenge of training a large number of drivers, the traditional “everyone does everything” model is increasingly unsustainable.
This has prompted fire departments to explore a more focused and specialised approach, a trend that is becoming more evident worldwide.
In this model, operators are trained and designated as dedicated professionals, with a primary focus on driving and operating, rather than assuming a generalist role.
Specialisation allows for targeted training programs that provide drivers with the time, resources and expertise they need.
Specialised training offers significant long-term benefits by fostering higher levels of driver proficiency, enhancing operational safety, reducing risks and improving overall efficiency.
Additionally, focusing training efforts on a smaller group of dedicated operators helps streamline resources and alleviates the financial burden of training large numbers of personnel in highly demanding skills.
This global shift toward specialisation ensures that fire departments are better equipped to handle the evolving challenges of modern ARFF operations.
Conclusion
Preparing ARFF teams for modern airport emergencies requires a comprehensive approach to driver training, emphasising specialisation, safety and continuous improvement.
Shifting from a generalist to a specialised workforce improves driver proficiency, reduces risks and offers cost savings.
This change requires long-term investment in targeted training programs focusing on skill development, stress management and situational awareness.
The global trend toward specialisation is essential for adapting to future challenges and ensuring effective responses to complex emergencies.
A well-trained, dedicated workforce is key to long-term airport safety and preparedness.
About the author
Florian Kubowski, Founder and CEO of the ARFF Driving Academy, is a mechanical engineer with a background as a fire instructor and former leader in the development and testing of ARFF vehicles.
He is also a member of the German Fire Protection Association (vfdb e.V.), Section 6 “Vehicles and Technical Assistance.”
Founded in 2022, the ARFF Driving Academy has trained over 200 ARFF operators at airports worldwide since beginning operations in 2023.
Its portfolio also includes consultancy services for response organisation (e.g., validation of fire station layouts) and vehicle technology.
Additionally, it is an associated member of the ARFF Working Group and CTIF.
This article was originally published in the February 2025 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal – to read your FREE digital copy, click here.