Pearson International Airport has added a new model of fire truck to its fleet.
The Greater Toronto Airport Authority says the vehicles represent a significant leap forward in emergency response, as they’re designed to handle the unique challenges of airport emergencies.
The trucks have powerful, high-capacity pumps that spray water and foam. They also have larger water tanks and carry environmentally friendly foam, dry chemicals and cleaning agents to handle various types of fires and spills.
“A typical city fire truck with a fire hose puts out about 100 gallons of water per minute. These trucks are putting out in the neighbourhood of 1,950 gallons per minute,” said David Hollett, deputy fire chief at Toronto Pearson Fire and Emergency Services.
Fire officials at the airport say the design of the new trucks enables them to move through rough terrain and wreckage, ensuring access to emergency sites regardless of the weather conditions.
“What’s incredibly unique about these trucks is we have a single firefighter that operates in the cab. They’re responsible for operating the truck safely, they’re also responsible for communicating with the controllers on the air field,” Hollett said.
That operator is supported by a team of firefighters arriving in different vehicles with various roles and responsibilities.
“On any given day at Pearson, we can be responding to an aircraft emergency, protecting the structures and buildings,
and protecting all of the people here at Pearson,” said Hollett.
The goal is to be able to reach the midpoint of a runway from anywhere on the airport’s property in three minutes or less. The station now has three of the specialized trucks in its fleet.