AR-1 ARFF now in Operation at CXO

Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s office adds Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) capabilities for the Conroe / North Houston Regional Airport (CXO).

ARFF is a category of firefighting that involves the response, hazard mitigation, evacuation and rescue of passengers and crew of an aircraft involved in an airport ground emergency. A specially refurbished Oshkosh P19 firetruck is now in service at CXO, operated by Montgomery County Fire Department fire fighters. The team recently trained by the Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport’s ARFF unit.

The Oshkosh P19 firetruck was formerly owned and operated by the United States Air Force, and gets a special call sign AR-1 at the CXO. The truck is specially designed to incorporate a 1,000 gallon water tank, 100 gallon of foam and 500 lbs of dry chemical storage.

The AR-1 is equipped with a 350 gallons per minute bumper turret and a 750 gallons per minute roof turret to provide first-in response capabilities in case of an emergency. It’s FLIR camera and other unique features allows fire fighters to respond to emergencies in any driving conditions on or off the ramp.

The ARFF capabilities at CXO is expected to receive FAA’s FAR Part 139 compliance next year.