Launceston passengers at risk due to shortage of aviation firefighters

Across eight weeks in December and January, 24 Virgin and Jetstar flights carrying thousands of passengers operated at Launceston airport without ARFF protection.

An Airservices Australia spokesperson said 23 full-time aviation rescue fire fighters are employed at Launceston Airport.

The shortage has its roots in the COVID pandemic, where in 2021, the former Morrison government cut 100 aviation firefighters from Australia's airports.

This decision was made against the advice of the United Firefighters Union (UFUA), aviation branch secretary Wes Garrett said.

He said they expected the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to intervene in this decision, but it wasn't the case.

"CASA is responsible for ensuring that Airservices adheres to its international obligations to provide appropriate aviation firefighting services to passengers, " he said.

"But shamefully, despite our repeated requests for the safety authority to intervene to protect the safety of air travellers, CASA has once again gone missing."

A CASA spokesperson said the UFUA recently wrote to them with several allegations concerning levels of firefighting services.

"CASA is looking into these allegations and will take action as needed to ensure the ongoing safety of the travelling public," they said.

Mr Garrett said the consequences of a crash could be "catastrophic" without the presence of aviation firefighters.

"Aviation fuel fires burn fast and hot, and when an aircraft crash or incident takes place, aviation firefighters have just three minutes to reach the plane before the fire penetrates the cabin and impacts the passengers," Mr Garrett said.

"That's why aviation firefighters are stationed right next to the runaway, to give passengers the best possible chance of rescue and survival should an emergency occur."

While local fire crews may be available, they are not equipped to take on these types of blazes.

"Immediate intervention is very important for large hydrocarbon fuel fires, so the response times are critical," Mr Garrett said.

"Typically an urban fire truck carries about 1500 litres of water and a very limited amount of foam, if any.

"The only thing that works to extinguish hydrocarbon fuel fires is foam, that's what makes our vehicles and firefighters very specific to the needs of the aviation industry."

Now retired, Trevor Rogers was an ARFF Commander in Launceston in the 1990s.

He remembers all too well the infamous 1993 crash where six people died after a plane carrying nine passengers into Launceston hit power lines and crashed in a nearby field, bursting into flames.

"At the time, the staff numbers per shift was two plus six," Mr Rogers said.

"It comes to the night of the crash and guess what? We're two plus five - we're one staff member down."

"I had seven firefighters and you might think that's more than enough, but I can guarantee you every person was working flat out for a period of time ... that extra person would have been invaluable."

He said the mental toll under-staffing put on operational firefighters on the ground was a serious issue.

"I think one of the biggest things missing here is the perception that everything's okay and nothing's going to happen," Mr Rogers said.

"But having witnessed and experienced aircraft crashes in my career when I was in the service; the stress and the pressure that is put on the operational staff is as high as you'd expect."

Mr Garrett said the UFUA has been discussing the shortage issue with Airservices Australia since August 2023.

An Airservices Australia spokesperson said Airservices meets its regulatory obligations and employs 23 full-time aviation rescue fire fighters at Launceston Airport.

"As per (CASA) regulations, Airservices provides an ARFF service at Launceston Airport during these operational hours," they said.

"Airlines may choose to operate outside of these published operational hours and/or fly into an airport where an ARFF service is not provided.

They said they had not withdrawn after-hours services at Launceston Airport.

"We continue to offer out-of-operating hours ARFF services to late aircraft arrivals on an overtime basis, subject to fatigue management guidelines."

"Local emergency services also service Launceston Airport as needed as part of the airport's after-hours Aerodrome Emergency Plan."

With 830 ARFF currently employed, Airservices Australia said an additional 48 were expected to join this year.

A Launceston Airport spokesperson said the safety of their passengers would always be their number one priority.

"As a 24/7 curfew free operation, our Emergency Response Plan includes support from both Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service and local authorities," they said.