CAAP gets new firefighting vehicles

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines on Friday received the first batch of new firefighting vehicles to beef up the capabilities of Philippine airports.

 

A first batch of 13 vehicles were turned over to the CAAP at the Port of Batangas from Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Corp., the CAAP said.

 

Some 28 more units will arrive within this year, the CAAP added. The CAAP awarded the contract to Oshkosh for P1.3 billion.

 

Under the contract, the CAAP is to get:

 

- four 6x6 trucks with 12,000-liter water capacity

- 37 4x4 trucks with 6,000-liter capacity.

 

Joya said the CAAP board of directors approved the procurement of 41 new industrial-type airport rescue firefighting vehicles for the country's major commercial airports.

 

He also said government is upgrading fire trucks and other communication equipment and facilities so government-run airports can conform be at par with global aviation standards.

 

CAAP presently operates 81 airports, with 41 handling commercial flights. These commercial airports have 97 fire trucks, some of which were acquired as early as 1968. Some 17 units are useless due to lack of parts.

 

The deployment of the new Airport Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) is part of the upgrading of the CAAP's Emergency Services Unit in all major airports in the country.

 

In turn, this is in compliance to the International Civil Authority Organization (ICAO), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union international standards for aircraft and rescue fighting requirements.  — Joel Locsin/ELR, GMA News