How the Airport Fire Department responds in an emergency

The fire protection department responds to emergencies whenever there is a fire, while the fire prevention team focuses on preventing fires and their escalation.

The Frankfurt Airport Fire Department is well equipped and trained to perform a wide range of tasks. In addition to the statutory provisions set out in the Hessian Fire and Disaster Protection Act (HBKG),

the Airport Fire Department is obliged to follow the requirements of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
At Frankfurt Airport, this includes firefighting, providing technical rescue in the event of traffic accidents, responding to first respond incidents, and much more.

The Fire Department’s wide-ranging tasks also include responding to incidents involving aircrafts and the airport’s passenger transport system (Sky Line). In cases involving hazardous substances and materials, our team identifies potentially harmful substances and clears the incident site. Our daily operations also include rescuing animals of various types and origins.

At the request of the responsible dispatch centers, the Airport Fire Department’s emergency units also respond to incidents in the wider region.

To meet the requirements of a large internal corporate department, the Airport Fire Department manages itself largely autonomously. In addition to their operational duties, each employee is therefore also assigned to an internal section. These specialized sections include:

• Servicing and maintaining the radio and communication system
• Coordinating and overseeing operations within the fire and rescue dispatch center
• Coordinating internal and external trainings
• Implementing operational preparation measures, such as developing emergency plans and tactical standards
• Servicing and maintaining technical facilities and equipment
• Servicing and maintaining measurement instruments, self contained breathing apparatus’ and personal protective equipment
• Performing internal administrative tasks, including duty shift scheduling, timework hour tracking, and accounting

On scene in 180 seconds: The Airport Fire Department is always ready

The Frankfurt Airport Fire Department needs to be capable of reaching the scene of an incident as quickly as possible. The three fire stations are therefore strategically positioned around the airport premises so that the Fire Department can reach any point of the runway system within three minutes.

More than 300 employees across the various stations work in a 24-hour shift system to ensure effective fire protection on the airport premises.

The three fire stations are permanently staffed with at least 66 working positions and 32 permanently manned fire and rescue vehicles per shift – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Legal Framework

The Frankfurt Airport Fire Department is a recognized industrial fire department, pursuant to the Hessian Fire and Disaster Protection Act (HBKG). Its responsibilities, training and requirements correspond to those of a public fire department.

The Frankfurt Airport Fire Department is equipped with special vehicles and special technical equipment in order to handle the particular dangers associated with the operation of an airport and the associated infrastructure. The additional guidelines and requirements of international air traffic rules and regulations also apply to the fulfillment of its tasks.

The Fire Department Control Dispatch Center

The joint Safety & Security Dispatch Center of the Airport Fire Department and Airport Security has workstations. The Fire Department Dispatch Center is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It coordinates all incidents of the Airport Fire Department and Medical Rescue Services at Frankfurt Airport. Every year, emergency calls are handled by our specially trained dispatch center staff, who receive firefighting and rescue training.

The responsibilities of our Fire and Rescue Service Dispatch Center include the immediate handling of emergency calls, providing information, alerting emergency units, incidents and status reports, and assisting and cooperating with government agencies and other emergency response organizations