Useful Skills and Equipment in Firefighting Air Crash Fires - Research Paper Example

TOPIC: RESEARCH METHODS (Name) (Student's Number) (Course) (Institution) (Tutor's Name) 14th May, 2008 USEFUL SKILLS AND EQUIPMENT IN FIREFIGHTING AIR CRASH FIRES Investigators: Hawkins Maxin K. Brown Kingstone M. Abstract This research paper is investigating the skills and equipments that can be used in fighting fires in case of an air crash. For a long time air crash fires have been a disaster and claims several lives in an occurrence. The research proposal is concerned at identifying the way forward in fighting these fires and reduces casualties thus saving human lives. The techniques used in fire fighting are the Air Craft Rescue Firefighting that is meant to save the lives of the victims from burning. The research will be carried out in a military Fire station where the methodology of research will involve the use of secondary qualitative data in the department of fire fighting. Also victims of plane crash fires will be involved to be able to get the truth at the ground about the crash fires. The fire fighting equipments available for use will be analyzed with their effectiveness for fighting air crash fires. Skills necessary for firefighters will also be discussed in the research. (Hough, 2005) The results found in this research will be disseminated for use by airports and airstrips for the improvement of their fire fighting techniques in air crash rescue operations. The recommendation of the research is for the airports to adopt the military equipments and techniques useful for fighting fires in air crash. Introduction Fire fighting in air crash is a very important exercise as it involves saving lives. The frequent occurrence of plane crash in the world today is sometimes beyond human control and fire is inevitable in plane crash. The techniques used in firefighting in the military air base in one of the United States Army Base in Texas are numerous and the personnel are well trained to handle fire cases that are an obvious incident in the operations of the militants during war. Air Crash fires are more dangerous and disastrous that the common fires in domestic fire outbreaks. This is due to the combustibles that are involved in the planes. A plane uses fuel which is highly flammable and burns at very high temperatures of about 4000°F. These temperatures are very high and can cause devastating effects within a few minutes. The airliners manufacture their jets in a way that evacuation of its capacity can be possible within three minutes in case of air crash fires as later than this will have everybody aboard dead or severely burnt. (Sauvagnargues- Lesage, 2001) The firefighting priorities differ from other fire scenarios due to the nature of fire. The fire extinguishing foams and the concept of 'Blanketing' is the most important step in fighting the fire which is extremely hot and also dangerous for the rescuers. The basic principle of firefighting technique in plane crash fires is the drawing off heat from the from the burning plane by use of firefighting foams and the concept of blanketing which reduce the time used by passengers to escape. These firefighting foams help in the cooling of the cabin that is too high and causes flash over conditions, which can make evacuation very difficult. The air crash fires include several people aboard. If we imagine of the hazard that can occur in a crowded theater hall with several people trying to evacuate in the case of fire, in only three or less exits, one can imagine of such a situation in an air crash fire. The process of rescue in a air crash fire is a dangerous one and therefore require highly skilled personnel with good and reliable equipment to handle the fires. In air crash fire fighting, fire is dealt with later after the rescue process is over as they are very hot and causes destruction within a short time. Air jets manufacturers should design their planes in a way that evacuation is possible within a few seconds because firefighting does not aim at saving the plane because one cannot save half a plane especially in such a fire. They should look at the safety of the passengers first and later that of the plane. Aims of proposed Research The main aim of carrying out this research is to: Come up with the most reliable techniques and equipments that can be used in firefighting of air crash planes fires. To investigate the skills that can be used in the air crash firefighting to reduce the loss of lives that have always happened in such fires Research Question What skills and equipment are most useful in fighting air crash fires? Methodology The method of research involves the use of both the primary data collection method where a face to face interview will be used to acquire information from the firefighters in the fire fighting department. This enables the research to give the necessary results and meet its purposes. Secondary sources are also adopted, for example the various scholarly works that include, books, journals and information from the internet will be used to acquire reliable information about fire fighting skills and equipment. Different tools will also be employed, the data collection tools include, interview and secondary sources, the tools for data analysis are qualitative that involve determining the effectiveness of the research findings in air crash fire fighting. Participants The participants in are the staff members of the fire rescue department in this military base and fire victims of air crash fires. The fire victims were chosen from diverse air crash fires in the last 10 years, the victims are survivors of the worst air crash fires in the history of plane crash fire accidents. The Head of the department and other two firefighters will be interviewed on the equipments and skills they use in fire fighting of air crash fires. They were chosen for the research for their wide knowledge and experience in firefighting incidents of air crash in the Gulf war of 1990. Ethical Considerations The participants in the research are voluntary and they will be assured of high level of confidentiality of any information they provide. Anonymity is also assured to the participants to protect them from any harm or loss they may incur. The victims who suffered psychological trauma in during fire incidents are considered to avoid hurting them during the interview. The data obtained will be stored in according to the Data Protection Act and any audio or visual recording taken in the Military department will be destroyed after the research period for protection of the states security which is very sensitive issue in the United States. Timescale and Research planning ACTIVITY WEEKS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Selecting of the group to assist in the research Literature Review (Books, Journals and the Internet) Formulation of the Aims of research with the research group. Identifying the Victims of Fire and getting contacts Consultation with the Military Department for permission of access Preparation and resource acquisition for the research (Tape recorders, Camera. etc) Actual research (Interview with victims and fire fighters) Data coding Data analysis Writing up Presentation of Research findings Plan dissemination Dissemination The result findings and the conclusions that will be drawn from this research will be useful to the airport staff and management in improving their fire fighting skills and equipment. It is also useful to the government in strategy and disaster management of the fire in air crash that is a disaster. The public will also benefit a great deal in the findings of this results as they will be educated on tips to efficient fire fighting in case of an accident. The dissemination of the report is going to be in six levels, that is, to the air liners management, the government, the institutions of fire fighting training, the public, scholars/researchers and the manufactures of the fire fighting equipment. (Okray, 2004) To the government, the report will be given to the disaster management department which can use the information of the report in reduction of the casualties in fire accidents during plane crash. The government can also use this report in the formulation of policies in and implementation of efficient firefighting equipments which are special in the air crash fires. To the airport managements the report will be provided for them to review their firefighting skills and deployment of efficient equipment in fighting air crash fires. The airports firefighting personnel can use this report to improve their personal skills in this dangerous exercise of fighting air crash fires. The conclusion of the findings can be put in posters or published in the journals of air liners to enhance the information dissemination to their staff and fire fighting group. To the institutions training firefighters, the report can be useful in the restructuring of the training facilities and skills in firefighting to their trainees which will be useful for their safety and safety of the victims. The report can be put in the institutions' websites for the trainees to access the information from every part of the world. The manufactures of the fire fighting equipments will use this report in the improvement of the equipment designed for fighting fires in plane crash. The equipments manufactured which include, firefighters rescue kit, fire blanketing foams and machinery useful in fire fighting can be improved by the manufacturers for increasing efficiency in fighting fires in air crash fires. The public are also beneficiaries of these research findings as they are the travelers. The report findings can be distributed to the public in form of journals to keep the public informed about the fires in plane crash that are very different from other fires. Scholars can use this report, especially researchers in order to come out with more findings and solutions to firefighting skills and equipments in the air crash fires. Bibliography Federal Aviation Regulations, Normal, Utility, Acrobatic and Commuter Category Airplanes (14CFR23), Retrieved from; www.advancedrt.com/articles/rtarticles/aircraft.html on 10th May, 2008. Instructor's Guide on Fire Department Training Program, 3M Light Water AFFF & AFFF/ATC, Retrieved from; www.advancedrt.com/articles/rtarticles/aircraft.html on 10th May, 2008. Johnson, W. and Mathews, R. (1999), Disaster Plan in Plane Crash, (New York, New York Publishers) Baker, G. (2000), Crash Risk in General Aviation, (New York, McGraw Hill) Joice, G. and Huxley, G. 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