Airport Fire and Rescue Service Personnel Attend UK Incident Command Course

Three officers from the Gibraltar Airport Fire and Rescue Service, in conjunction with Edinburgh Airport and the Highlands and Islands Airports’ Fire and Rescue Services, recently attended an Incident Command course.

The course was held in Edinburgh Airport and delivered by SimTrainer UK.

Assistant divisional officer Adrian Hernandez, station officers Steven Morgan and Ernest Romero worked in conjunction with senior officers from the other airports.

There they were exposed to very knowledgeable instructors and gained experience from the other delegates who operate within the same Incident Command System (ICS).

The course entailed learning the different approaches to incidents, how to mitigate the inherent risks in a variety of scenarios and environments that fire crews could potentially face.

John Lord of SimTrainer UK was formerly a station manager with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service for 32 years and has since accumulated an invaluable experience in this training field working with nearly 30 airports.

The interactive scenario simulation software he has developed can be easily adapted to deal with the risks at each individual’s particular location and working environment providing a very realistic and flexible incident management tool.

“Being on this accredited course together with other UK airports was useful and most interesting to discuss and learn from each other about the ways the other airports operate, especially within the context of ICS and the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles (JESIP),” said a statement from the AFRS.

“The topics and assessments covered were mostly related to the aviation sector, for both civilian and military aircraft, but some were also structural incidents. Having successfully undertaken this course now qualifies the AFRS officers to Incident Command Intermediate level as part of the Continual Professional Development process relevant to their respective roles,” the statement added.