… as FAAN commissions impressive firefighting vehicles
The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has said that airport fire cover is a critical safety equipment that can lead to the closure of an airport if lacking.
Sirika said this at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) commissioning ceremony of10 brand new, high capacity firefighting vehicles for use at some of the airports across the nation.
The vehicles are meant to improve safety of flight operations at the airports.
The Lion Volkan 6×6 Brand, Major Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Vehicles (MFFV), which carries 14,000 litres of water, 1,700 litres of foam, 250kg powder capacity each, and monitors the discharge rate of between 6,000 litres to 10,000 litres per minute would be deployed to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
With an acceleration rate of 0 to 80km per hour in 30 seconds, each of the truck possesses limitless capacity to discharge while in motion, they are also equipped with under chassis nozzles to tackle running fuel fire.
Sirika said government was providing safety critical equipment, especially things like fire cover to forestall the recurrence of unfortunate accidents like the December 10, 2005 Sosoliso crash.
Remembering the crash which occured in Port Harcourt, Sirika said a lack of fire cover led to the death of the surviving children of Loyola Jesuit College crash who died during the fire which engulfed the aircraft after the plane went down.
He said the absence of fire cover at any aerodrome or inadequate fire cover is enough to either shutdown or downgrade the facility and that it is the critical element apart from the runway that can cause an airport closure because of their importance.
According to him, the importance of the safety equipment procured are not emphasised enough because they are key to safe, secure and efficient take off and landing in the industry.
He said: ”To non-aviators and onlookers, you see fire fighting equipment but the importance and relevance is not brought onto focus especially for people watching from afar whose only concern is to board aircraft and use air conditioned terminals.
“Well for us, that is important too but most important is to keep you safe.
“You all remember our children that left Abuja for Port Harcourt in the Sosoliso crash.
“We couldn’t save those children because even though the plane landed and crashed they were still alive but the airport did not have adequate fire cover to save those ones and parents were seeing their children burning alive, children they sent to school. That is so sad.”
According to him, “for 15 years no fire tender has been supplied to us, we just cannibalise two or three to make one.
“And the absence of fire cover is the number one reason to shut down airports and even if you don’t have enough, you downgrade the airport to a lower category.”
Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director of FAAN, Captain Rabiu Yadudu, noted that in fostering safety and security of flight operations, the federal government has focused on the tripod of rehabilitation/upgrade of infrastructure, capacity building, and training/manpower development.
He noted that comprehensive training programmes have been arranged for the users of the vehicles and the mechanical department to ensure the vehicles are not only used as specified by the manufacturers but also maintained accordingly.
Yadudu also said that eight new water tankers for continuous agent applications, 11 ambulances, two brand new Response Commanders’ Vehicles, and Aircraft Removal and Recovery Equipment have also been procured and deployed to various airports.
While promising that the Authority would continue to prioritise safety and security at the nation’s airports, he charged the Air Rescue and Fire Fighting Department to make the best use of the newly commissioned equipment.
He expressed FAAN’s profound appreciation to the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration, through the Ministry of Aviation, headed by the Minister of Aviation.