Blog of Aaron J.: firefighting

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Vertiport Design for Fire Protection Professionals [a Review of the FAA Engineering Brief]

A few weeks ago the FAA released a draft version of its Vertiport Design Engineering Brief. I have compiled the most important information that would be applicable to fire protection professionals who may be reviewing these plans, working through a concept of operations, or ultimately required to respond to emergencies.

This document has been created to provide facility design guidance for VTOL aircraft powered by “electric motors and utilizing distributed electric propulsion in contrast to propulsion systems built solely around an internal combustion engine.” This guidance applies to modification of existing facilities and construction of new facilities. This guide is required to be followed by any vertiport projects that receive federal funding and by federally obligated airports. These facilities will also be required to comply with 14 CFR Part 135, Operating Requirements: Commuter and On Demand Operations and Rules Governing Persons On Board Such Aircraft.

This design guide is based on pilot-on-board, visual flight rule operations, and aircraft characteristics as modeled in the below chart. The chart below was created from a composite of nine different eVTOL aircraft currently being developed.

Terminology and Definitions

Composite Aircraft: the composite aircraft represents an VTOL aircraft that integrates the performance and design characteristics of nine VTOL aircraft currently in development. This composite aircraft is used to specify the performance and design characteristics for the purposes of vertiport design in this engineering brief.
Controlling dimension (CD): The CD is the longest distance between the two outermost opposite points on the design VTOL aircraft (e.g., wingtip-to-wingtip, rotor tip-to-rotor tip, rotor tip-to-wing tip, fuselage-to-rotor tip), measured on a level horizontal plane that includes all adjustable components extended to their maximum outboard deflection.
Design VTOL aircraft: The design VTOL aircraft is the largest electric, hydrogen, or hybrid VTOL aircraft that is expected to operate at a vertiport. This design aircraft is used to determine the size of the TLOF, FATO and safety area. Note that the design VTOL aircraft is different from the composite aircraft used to define the performance and design criteria in this engineering brief.

Vertiport Dimensions and Markings

Any vertiport that is being built on a federally obligated airport must submit an Airport Laoyout Plan (ALP). Current heliport facilities that are being converted to vertiports will be required to submit a Form 7480-1 for re-designation as a vertiport. Additionally, any State of local regulations must be followed. These can be found at, https://www.faa.gov/airports/resources/state_aviation/.

The VTOL landing area is required to be based on the controlling dimension (CD) of the design aircraft that will be using the facility. Those design criteria are depicted below:

The vertiport landing and safety areas are required to be marked as shown in the diagram below:

This brief also establishes and defines the an official vertiport identification marking:

Charging and Infrastructure

This engineering brief acknowledges the hazards and challenges of eVTOL charging and infrastructure. “Current charging standards for light duty vehicle charging (up to 350kw) align with multiple light electric aircraft currently applying for certification. However, higher capacity batteries and novel systems for meeting operation characteristics may require alternative chagrin methods including mobile charging systems, fixed battery storage, cable and/or on-board battery cooling, or other concepts.” The guide then refers the user to a collection of standards that should be reviewed and applied.

Firefighting Considerations

A brief section on firefighting acknowledges that there is no clear guidance on extinguishing fires related to these VTOL aircraft. A study is cited that states water is more effective for cooling, preventing thermal runaway, and containing the fire than was gaseous or dry powder agents. New technology on the horizon may prove to be even more effective than what is currently available. The hazards that responders should be prepared for and have an understanding of, include:

Lithium battery fires
Electrical fires
Toxic gas emissions
High voltage electrical arcing

Important Dates

March 29, 2022 - FAA Industry Day meeting on this draft (virtual)
April 18, 2022 - Comments on the Engineering Brief are due

The Engineering Brief and all related information can be accessed at the website here, https://www.faa.gov/airports/engineering/engineering_briefs/drafts/.

Leadership Resources for ARFF Professionals [Being Chief]

One of the questions asked was what is a book or resource that they would recommend for continued leadership development. There were a lot of similar answers. The books below were the most frequently cited by these ARFF leaders. These are their recommendations for continued education and professional development.

Holy Bible - The CSB Heroes Bibles feature the highly reliable, highly readable text of the Christian Standard Bible (CSB), which stays as literal as possible to the Bible’s original meaning without sacrificing clarity. The CSB’s optimal blend of accuracy and readability makes Scripture more moving, more memorable, and more motivating to read it today and share it always.

First In, Last Out, John Salka - What does it take to lead people into a burning building? How do the leaders of the New York City Fire Department develop so much loyalty, trust, and grace under pressure that their subordinates will risk their very lives for them? As a high-ranking officer of the FDNY, John Salka is an expert at both practicing and teaching high-stakes leadership. He explains the department’s unique strategies and how they can be adopted by leaders in any field

It’s Your Ship, Michael Abrashoff- When Captain Abrashoff took over as commander of USS Benfold, it was like a business that had all the latest technology but only some of the productivity. Knowing that responsibility for improving performance rested with him, he realized he had to improve his own leadership skills before he could improve his ship. Within months, he created a crew of confident and inspired problem-solvers eager to take the initiative and responsibility for their actions. The slogan on board became "It's your ship," and Benfold was soon recognized far and wide as a model of naval efficiency. Abrashoff shares his secrets of successful management

Pride and Ownership, Rick Lasky - Chief Rick Lasky gives an upfront and honest criticism about the need to reignite the love of the job on every level, from chiefs and on down. Learn what you can do to drive your members to take pride in their job and assume ownership.

Essentials of Fire Department Customer Service, Alan Brunacini - This text explains the application of common-sense customer service concepts to the fire service. Written in a humorous conversational style, Chief Alan Brunacini of the Phoenix Fire Department provides the reader with an enjoyable reading experience and vital information on how we can better serve our customers.

From Buddy to Boss, Chase Sargent - Whether you're a new officer or in need of a mentor, From Buddy to Boss: Effective Fire Service Leadership, is a must-have management book you'll turn to over and over again. Fire service veteran Chase Sargent has taken his popular course and written a no-holds-barred leadership book for the fire service in a conversational and easy-to-read style. He tells you how to accept and survive politics, deal with the fringe employees, and keep your cool -- tricks of the trade that usually take years to acquire

The Fifth Discipline, Peter Senge - Senge describes how companies can rid themselves of the learning blocks that threaten their productivity and success by adopting the strategies of learning organizations, in which new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, collective aspiration is set free, and people are continually learning how to create the results they truly desire.

Extreme Ownership, Jocko Willink - Detailing the mind-set and principles that enable SEAL units to accomplish the most difficult missions in combat, Extreme Ownership shows how to apply them to any team, family or organization. Each chapter focuses on a specific topic such as Cover and Move, Decentralized Command, and Leading Up the Chain, explaining what they are, why they are important, and how to implement them in any leadership environment.

The Dichotomy of Leadership, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin - Jocko and Leif dive even deeper into the uncharted and complex waters of a concept first introduced in Extreme Ownership: finding balance between the opposing forces that pull every leader in different directions. Here, Willink and Babin get granular in the nuances that every successful leader must navigate. Mastering the Dichotomy of Leadership requires understanding when to lead and when to follow; when to aggressively maneuver and when to pause and let things develop; when to detach and let the team run and when to dive into the details and micromanage.

Qualities for ARFF Leadership Success [Being Chief]

Being Chief: Leadership Principles for the ARFF Professional, is the first book of its kind, dedicated solely to leadership in the aircraft rescue and firefighting field. More than thirty ARFF chiefs and leaders were interviewed for this book. Through the process of compiling the information from these discussions, a pattern for success emerged. Similar topics were discussed, and certain traits rose to the top. These came through these four questions:

What is your advice for the newly promoted chief officer?
What actions, behaviors, or thought patterns lead to leadership failure?
What is the top trait or characteristic that you believe every chief officer must possess?
What have been the key factors to your success and why?

What is your advice for the newly promoted chief officer?

Listen, to those above and below.
Learn, from others, from past successes and mistakes, commit to continual education.
Be with your people, they are the priority.
Remember where you came from, and how you got here.
Be consistent, always show up.

What actions, behaviors, or thought patterns lead to leadership failure?

Lack of respect for people.

Failure to recognize and adjust to different personality types.
Poor treatment, demeaning, unfair, unequitable.
Not ‘learning’ your people, or knowing who they are.
Failure to provide discipline and clear direction.
Not trusting your people.

Lack of integrity.

Not being true to your word.
Being inconsistent.
Non-committed to department, people, direction, or vision.
Self-serving.

Poor communication.

Not listening.
Unable to commit to decisions, lack of clarity in decision making.
Unclear vision and prioritizing personal agendas.

What is the top trait or characteristic that you believe every chief officer must possess?

Trust
Honesty
Integrity
Humility (approachable, listen, learn)

What have been the key factors to your success and why?

Knowing the job.

Commit to continual learning.
Stay relevant by listening to others.
Network with other chiefs, organizations, and departments.

Consistency.

Persevere.
Show up everyday at 100%.
Build experience.

Faith.
Family.

Support of...
Succeed for…

Being Chief takes a deep dive into each of these areas and topics, and lets you hear from the leaders themselves, in their own words through their own experiences.

8 Factors for Avoiding a FF Close Call

In the January 2018 issue of Firehouse Magazine, Billy Goldfeder shares “a simple list to help you consider some of the key factors in avoiding a firefighter close call, line-of-duty injury or line-of-duty death".

This article is recommended reading for all members of the fire service, and can be accessed here.

Eight critical factors discussed are:

Learn about fire behavior
Conducting a size-up
When, how, and why to perform ventilation
Getting water on the fire
Rapid-intervention crews/teams
Love your apparatus, tools, and equipment
Clear fireground communication
Deployment staffing

Firehouse Magazine, January 2018, Close Calls: New Year, New Lessons: 8 Critical Fireground Factors, Billy Goldfeder.

The Standpipe Kit

photo source: highriseoperations.com

High-rise building fires can be the most challenging and dangerous operation for a firefighter. An important element for success in high-rise fire incidents is "the standpipe kit". These kits include all the essential tools a crew may need to conduct standpipe operations. In the article titled, "The Standpipe Kit", published in WNYF (2nd/2015), describes the components that make up a functional kit. This article serves as a useful guide for creating or updating your department's own kit.

The basic standpipe kit should include:

Door chocks and wedges (assorted)
Spanner wrenches (2)
Off-set pipe wrench (18" minimum) - to remove caps or operate stripped control valves
Control valve wheels - various sizes, as needed for the response area
Wire brush
Pressure gauge or standpipe flowmeter
Nozzle (spare)
Adapters and couplings (various)
Gate valve

This list presents basic items that should be included in every kit. Pre-fire planning for your response area must be conducted. Based on the pre-fire plans other adapters, thread types, sizes, or items may be needed and should be added to the kit.

The "All In" Approach to Firefighting

Photo courtesy of BLMOregon

I recently finished reading the book All In: The Education of General David Petraeus. Written by Paula Broadwell, and published in 2012, the book chronicles the General’s “career, his intellectual development as a military officer, and his impact on the U.S. military.” The fire service is often touted as a para-military organization and I have found it increasingly beneficial to read books on military strategy, leadership, and personalities. These resources provide a broad variety of lessons that can be readily applied to what we do in the fire service.

Among many other accomplishments, Petraeus is known for answering the call of President Obama to provide leadership of the war in Afghanistan. He had previously penned “King David’s Bible”, the Counterinsurgency Field Manual (COIN). COIN provided guidance to all military forces on how to win the battle in Afghanistan. Early in his leadership of these forces, he sent out a four-page counterinsurgency guidance letter, that boiled the COIN down to “24 Commandments”. These are what Petraeus felt were essential to victory in this war.

Here are six that stand out and their application to the fire service.

Secure and serve the population. The decisive terrain is the human terrain. The people are the center of gravity. Only by providing them security and earning their trust and confidence can the Afghan government and ISAF prevail.

People are why we do what we do. Maintaining relationships with the people of our community, and our community leaders, is what allows us to be effective in what we do. Our first duty is to “secure and serve the population”. Do what is best for the community and its members. Keeping in mind, that sometimes this might not be what’s best for ‘us’.

Live with the people. We can’t commute to the fight. Position joint bases and combat outposts as close to those we’re seeking to secure as feasible. Decide on locations with input from our partners and after consultation with local citizens and informed by intelligence and security assessments.

If to “secure and serve the population” is our objective, to “live with the people” is our strategy. How can we best secure and serve? What is it that our population needs most from us, and how can we provide that? How can we be proactive, provide a service to the many, and not just reactive, responding to issues of the few?

Pursue the enemy relentlessly. Together with our Afghan partners, get your teeth into the insurgents and don’t let go. When the extremists fight, make them pay. Seek out and eliminate those who threaten the population. Don’t let them intimidate the innocent. Target the whole network, not just individuals.

Our enemy is those natural and man-made disasters and incidents that threaten to destroy the lives, property, and prosperity of the members of our community. It is more than just fire, we now take an “all-hazards” approach to the work we do. We pursue this ‘enemy’ through prevention, mitigation, and public education. We fight this ‘enemy’ with the most current use of tools, technology, and personnel training.

Walk. Stop by, don’t drive by. Patrol on foot whenever possible and engage the population. Take off your sunglasses. Situational awareness can only be gained by interacting face-to-face, not separated by ballistic glass or Oakleys.

Leadership expert, John Maxwell, says “Walk slowly through the halls. One of the greatest mistakes leaders make is spending too much time in their offices and not enough time out among the people.” There is a need and true value in getting out of the office, out of the station, and walking through the community (and for more than just the daily grocery run). Walk through the buildings in your industrial areas, walk through the shopping malls, walk through the new communities and construction, walk down the streets at community events. Walking gives a new perspective on structures, systems, and processes. Walking is welcoming, it allows people the opportunity to stop, engage, and communicate.

Be first with the truth. Beat the insurgents and malign actors to the headlines. Preempt rumors. Get accurate information to the chain of command, to Afghan leaders, to the people, and to the press as soon as possible. Integrity is critical to this fight. Avoid spinning, and don’t try to “dress up” an ugly situation. Acknowledge setbacks and failures, including civilian casualties, and then state how we’ll respond and what we’ve learned.

Address problems, concerns, issues, and failings head on. There have been multiple times when a decision made could have been detrimental, however, I directly went to the leaders of my organization, explained the issue, how I went wrong, and what I was doing to fix and prevent. Address issues quickly and head on, and most importantly, provide a solution for how to do better in the future.

Live our values. Stay true to the values we hold dear. This is what distinguishes us from our enemies. We are engaged in a tough endeavor. It is often brutal, physically demanding, and frustrating. All of us experience moments of anger, but we must not give in to dark impulses or tolerate unacceptable actions by others.

Today’s fire departments provide a blend of generations, cultures, beliefs, backgrounds, and ethics. Our values on the job, are what the departments we work for value. When we show up to work, we put our beliefs, ethics, and values to the side and we take on those of our employer. Several years ago, the USFA produced a firefighter code of ethics. This is a document that members of our profession can look to and know what this business is all about, and what it stands for. These are the values we must live.