A state-of-the-art fire station has come up at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, giving a boost to the airport’s emergency response capabilities.
Sporting several unique features, the new station caters to the Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). It would be commissioned once the DGCA issues the approval, airport authorities said.
“Our existing station was equipped to tackle emergencies, but there was an urgent need to expand the infrastructure. Construction of the new station has been completed and the process for obtaining the DGCA approval is in progress,” Airport director C.V. Ravindran said. In due course, the existing station would be withdrawn from service and demolished. Compatible with ARRF Category IX/X, the fire station has a total area of 1838 sq metres and cost the Airports Authority of India (AAI) ₹12.5 crore.
A striking feature of the station is the watch tower that can be used as an alternate air traffic control (ATC). The tower has a height of 14.5 metres.
The station also has an underground sump capable of storing one lakh litres and an overhead tank for 50,000 litres.
The station has 12 parking slots for the fire tenders and rescue vehicles, six bays each on either side of a central building complex.
The emergency response mechanisms include a public address system and fire alarm bell, and a hotline with the Air Traffic Control and the Fire and Rescue Station at Chacka, the nearest facility outside the airport.
The AAI had launched the construction of the new fire station on April 7, 2019.
Published - August 31, 2021 01:07 am IST
