Bengaluru airport becomes 1st facility in South Asia to commission Rosenbauer firefighting equipment

PTI, Nov 22, 2021, 7:54 PM IST

Bengaluru: Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, has commissioned a state-of-the-art firefighting system Rosenbauer Tactical Simulator, making it the first facility in South Asia to have this high-tech equipment, BIAL said on Monday in a statement.

The Rosenbauer Tactical Simulator, which offers numerous scenarios to prepare for real emergencies to both the firefighter at the Bengaluru airport as well as to those from other airports, state fire departments and defence forces, will help in strengthening further its such capabilities, Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) said.

The simulator has a cockpit that matches every detail of the Rosenbauer fire truck, providing a realistic experience in the operation of crash fire tenders, including all operating controls, from the steering wheel to turret control, projected through multiple 55-inch HD screens, it said.

With this simulator, firefighters can train in a realistic environment, master the tactical use of Rosenbauer Panther trucks as well as operate High Reach Extendable Turrets (HRET) for extreme aircraft fire emergencies, it said.

To ensure the safety and security of all stakeholders, including passengers and airlines, BIAL has added four advanced Rosenbauer Crash Fire Tenders (CFTs) to its fleet.

Two Rosenbauer Panther 6×6 trucks and two Rosenbauer Panther 8×8 trucks, including two with HRETs, were recently commissioned, taking the overall number of CFTs in its fleet to eight, the airport operator stated.

BIAL Chief Operating Officer Jayaraj Shanmugam said, ”With the Rosenbauer Crash Fire Tenders, we are well-equipped to efficiently handle difficult fire emergencies. We believe in training our teams, equipping them with advanced tools and modern technology, providing them with hands-on experience and keeping them ready to contain any possible emergencies.” Shanmugam added that the tactical simulator will support strengthening the airport’s firefighting capabilities even further.

The simulator provides incident commanders, crew commanders and lead firefighters an opportunity to gain experience in the tactical use of CFTs through turret control and application of firefighting agents, command and control, vehicle operation and basic driving and positioning skills, BIAL said.

Firefighters can be prepared for all kinds of aircraft-related emergencies as multiple scenarios can be customised, the private airport operator said.

It added that simulator training increases the professional competency of firefighters as the scenarios are realistic and sessions can be replayed for effective evaluation.