Civil Aviation Act, 2009 (Act No. 13 of 2009)RegulationsCivil Aviation Regulations, 2011Part 139 : Aerodromes and HeliportsSubpart 2 : Licensing and Operation of Aerodromes139.02.15 Aerodrome rescue and firefighting |
| (1) | An applicant for, or a holder of an aerodrome licence with a Category higher than 2 shall ensure that an aerodrome is provided with a rescue and firefighting service capable of providing the required level of protection necessary for maintaining the minimum level of protection required for the appropriate category of aerodrome. |
| (2) | The level of protection provided at an aerodrome for rescue and firefighting services shall be equal to the aerodrome category determined using the principles prescribed in Document SA-CATS 139. |
| (3) | A complementary extinguishing agent to be used on rescue and firefighting vehicles shall be a dry chemical powder suitable for extinguishing hydrocarbon fires as prescribed in Document SA-CATS 139. |
| (4) | The amount of water for foam production and the complementary agents to be provided on rescue and firefighting vehicles shall be in accordance with the aerodrome category determined in Document SA-CATS 139. |
| (5) | When a combination of different performance level foams is provided at an aerodrome, the total amount of water to be provided for foam production shall be calculated for each foam type and the distribution of these quantities shall be documented for each vehicle and applied to the overall rescue and firefighting requirements as prescribed in Document SA-CATS 139. |
| (6) | A discharge rate for foam solution and complementary agents shall be equal to or more than the quantities as prescribed in Document SA-CATS 139. |
| (7) | The complementary extinguishing agent used in the firefighting service shall comply with the appropriate specifications as prescribed in Document SA-CATS 139. |
| (8) | An aerodrome operator shall ensure that an aerodrome has fully operational rescue and firefighting vehicles and equipment as prescribed in Document SA-CATS 139. |
| (9) | Rescue and firefighting vehicles shall be housed in a fire station or undercover to protect them against adverse weather. |
| (10) | The operational objective of the rescue and firefighting service shall be to achieve a response time not exceeding three minutes to any point of each operational runway, in optimum visibility and surface conditions. |
| (11) | A task resource analysis shall be completed for the staffing levels to determine a minimum number of rescue and firefighting personnel required: Provided that— |
| (a) | a minimum of three personnel shall be deployed for each rescue and fire fighting vehicle; and |
| (b) | a rescue and fire fighting vehicle shall be staffed to ensure that it is able to discharge extinguishing agents at a maximum designed capability of such vehicle. |
[Regulation 139.02.15(11) substituted by regulation 19(f) of Notice No. R. 3170, GG48228, dated 17 March 2023 (Twenty-Sixth Amendment of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 2023)]
| (12) | All responding aerodrome rescue and firefighting personnel shall be provided with full protective clothing and respiratory equipment that is subjected to pressure tests as required by the South African National Standard ISO 10019 to enable them to perform their duties in an effective manner. |
[Regulation 139.02.15(12) substituted by regulation 19(f) of Notice No. R. 3170, GG48228, dated 17 March 2023 (Twenty-Sixth Amendment of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 2023)]
| (13) | Any vehicle, other than the first responding vehicle, required to deliver extinguishing agents shall ensure continuous agent application and shall arrive no more than four minutes from the initial call. |
| (14) | A system of preventive maintenance of rescue and firefighting vehicles shall be implemented to ensure effectiveness of the equipment and compliance with the specified response time throughout the lifespan of the vehicle as prescribed in Document SA-CATS 139. |
| (15) | Emergency access roads shall be provided to facilitate achieving minimum response times and to support the heaviest emergency vehicle and shall be accessible in all weather conditions. |
| (16) | Roads within 90m of the runway shall be tarred/compacted to prevent surface erosion and transfer of debris to the runway. |
| (17) | A satellite fire station shall be provided whenever the response time cannot be achieved from a single fire station. |
| (18) | A fire station shall be located so that access for rescue and firefighting vehicles into the runway area is direct and clear, requiring a minimum number of turns. |
| (19) | An aerodrome operator shall install a discrete alerting communication system linking a fire station with the control tower, to any other fire station on the aerodrome, and to rescue and firefighting vehicles. |
| (20) | A minimum number of rescue and firefighting vehicles provided at an aerodrome shall be in accordance with the requirements stipulated in Document SA-CATS 139. |
| (21) | An aerodrome located close to water or swampy area, or difficult terrain, and where a significant portion of approach or departure operations takes place over these areas, shall have specialist rescue services and firefighting equipment appropriate to the hazard and risk. |
[Regulation 139.02.15(21) inserted by regulation 39(h) of Notice No. R.1503, GG45491, dated 15 November 2021 (Twenty-First Amendment of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 2021)]
| (22) | Where an applicant for aerodrome licence selects an aerodrome category based on the length of an aeroplane and a fuselage width, realises that a fuselage is wider than the intended category selected, an applicant shall select the next higher aerodrome category. |
[Regulation 139.02.15(22) inserted by regulation 39(h) of Notice No. R.1503, GG45491, dated 15 November 2021 (Twenty-First Amendment of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 2021)]
| (23) | The amount of reserve supplies required for rapid replenishing of extinguishing agents . shall be informed by a risk assessment conducted. |
[Regulation 139.02.15(23) inserted by regulation 39(h) of Notice No. R.1503, GG45491, dated 15 November 2021 (Twenty-First Amendment of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 2021)]
| (24) | During low visibility conditions, an appropriate guidance, equipment or procedures for rescue and firefighting services shall be provided to meet the operational objective. |
[Regulation 139.02.15(24) inserted by regulation 39(h) of Notice No. R.1503, GG45491, dated 15 November 2021 (Twenty-First Amendment of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 2021)]