Fire training academy reopens after $29 million renovation

The black plume of smoke goes up regularly over DFW International Airport and the phone calls start: "Is something on fire? Was there a crash?"

Chances are, the worried residents and motorists are seeing the regular training exercises at the airport's Fire Training Research Academy. Since a $29 million renovation unveiled in March, they may be seeing smoke from a gigantic Airbus 380 trainer used to teach firefighters how to work a blaze on today's larger new aircraft.

The academy, which has trained more than 15,000 firefighters from across the U.S. and around the world since 1995, was re-opened and dedicated March 20 after the improvements were completed.

About $19 million was from a Federal Aviation Administration grant, and the remainder was DFW International Airport money.

The A380 trainer represents just one segment of the training, which covers countless aspects of fighting aircraft fires.

High-tech classroom

First, students attend classes inside the high-tech classroom, with popup touchscreens embedded in the tables, and a wall-sized touchscreen in front.

Instructors run simulations, give tests and recreate airfields on the giant, high-definition touchscreen. They can send simulations to the students' touchscreens to follow along or participate.

Instructor and firefighter David Henderson demonstrated during a tour before the dedication how he could, for example, place a Boeing 777 on a runway at the Branson, Missouri, airport for firefighters who came in from Branson for training. Together, the class could work through a simulated 3D fire situation.

Or, he could mimic what would happen if a pilot came in telling the control tower he had landing gear problems. Firefighters could anticipate, for example, that there might be a brake fire after landing, and react accordingly.

Henderson also showed how instructors can give on-the-spot pop quizzes from the big screen and instantly get results, so they can immediately pinpoint problems without waiting until the end of class.

In the field

Outside, the training equipment includes a control tower with levels set up for simulated warehouse fires, electrical fires and a hotel room fire in a high-rise. The tower also serves as a control center for the burns on the field.

Also on the field: A Kitty Hawk 727, the A380 and setups for teaching how to use various compounds for different types of fires. Researchers come here to test chemicals and foams for fighting aircraft fires.

The contaminated water and chemicals from the burns go into pits below the mockups. They are collected, scrubbed and stored in a 40,000-gallon storage tank for re-use or safe disposal into the sanitary sewer system.

The smoke's effect on the environment also is considered. Firefighters said they use a substance much less toxic than jet fuel that dissipates within minutes instead of hours. "It's the safest fuel out there," said Brian McKinney, airport fire chief.

Officials from the FAA, the airport, fire departments and representatives of firefighting-related industries attended the dedication.

What the academy teaches

Local, nationwide and international firefighters take a wide variety of classes and obtain many certifications at the Fire Training Research Academy. The training is based on actual incidents that occurred at airports.

Topics include:

• Basic rescue and fire suppression
• Command and control of airport emergencies
• Strategies and tactics in many areas

To learn more about the academy, visit www.dfwairport.com/firetraining.

The equipment

The academy uses several kinds of trainers to teach firefighters how to extinguish specific kinds of blazes and make rescues in different aircraft.

The equipment includes:

• The Airbus380 for multipurpose training
• Two different kinds of narrow-body trainers, used to simulate smaller aircraft, such as those flown by American Eagle
• A cargo aircraft trainer
• A structural fire trainer and a training tower to teach high-rise rescue and more