Port Authority PD-Port Authority FD Split

[R1SmokeEater 359]

http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=14494

[SteveOFD 176]

I found that R1Smokeater posted a link to this story in http://www.emtbravo.net/index.php/topic/48395-faa-and-port-authority-of-nyand-nj-on-afff/#entry276742 but the title of the post, in my opinion, does not do justice to the content of the memo, and for some reason I was unable to respond to that thread due to it being locked.

The content of the memo follows:

For Immediate Release

April 8, 2013
Contact: Marcia Alexander-Adams
Phone: (202) 267-3883

WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) have reached a settlement agreement about aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) violations from December 2010 to June 2012 at four New York area airports owned and operated by the PANYNJ — John F. Kennedy, Teterboro, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty International.

“We expect all airports to comply with our safety regulations and to correct any deficiencies immediately,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “These violations were egregious, and they will not be tolerated.”

Under the agreement, the PANYNJ agrees to pay a $3.5 million fine within 30 days. If there is a violation of the settlement agreement, the FAA will impose an additional fine of $1.5 million and will assess an additional $27,500 daily for each violation. In addition to the fine, the PANYNJ has agreed to take the following actions, with FAA approval, to address the underlying problems that led to systemic noncompliance with ARFF requirements at the four airports:

• The Port Authority will create a dedicated ARFF force to carry out airport-related ARFF functions with no collateral police officer duties.
• The staff will report directly to the Department of Aviation and be operational no later than March 31, 2014.
• The Port Authority will hire an ARFF fire chief and facility captains as soon as possible, but no later than March 31, 2014.
• The Port Authority will submit a curriculum for training to the FAA on or before December 31, 2013, which includes at least 75 hours of initial ARFF training and 40 hours of annual recurrent firefighting training in addition to Part 139 training, pertaining to an airport’s operational and safety standards and providing for such things as firefighting and rescue.
• The ARFF personnel will work a 12-hour shift.
• The Port Authority will amend the airport certification manuals for the four airports to include: an organizational chart; a process to maintain ARFF training records; and a description of ARFF operations, including shift assignments, personnel training records management, and Department of Aviation oversight.
• The Port Authority will conduct monthly internal audits of ARFF training and shift assignments and annual external audits to ensure that all ARFF personnel assigned to a shift are trained.

“We expect the Port Authority to have trained safety personnel to ensure the safety of the travelling public and airport personnel, just like we have at all airports in the United States,” said FAA Administrator Michael P. Huerta.

The FAA became aware of ARFF violations as a result of an annual airport certification safety inspection of JFK in December 2011. The FAA also discovered similar violations at Teterboro, which prompted a full review of training at LaGuardia, Newark Liberty International, and Stewart International Airports. The review of ARFF training revealed violations at LaGuardia and Newark, with no violations at Stewart.

The FAA believes the settlement agreement provides the best long-term solution to ensure ARFF compliance, given the systemic nature of the PANYNJ airport problems.

original link at http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=14494

So, the four Port Authority airports will be getting their own dedicated firefighting forces.

Edited April 12, 2013 by SteveOFD

[helicopper 1,050]

Threads merged.

[x635 4,066]

I read in the month's Fire Apparatus Journal that the PAPD got fined by the FAA for lack of cross training. As part of the deal, the PAPD will create a separate firefighting units at JFK, LGA, and Teterboro This stems from the PO's assigned to ARFF weren't given the proper training or oversight from those above.

FAJ is reporting that the new fire department will be online by March 2014.

Does anyone have anything more to elaborate on this? Are they going to hire firefighters now?

[SOUSGT 357]

NO MORE "GUNS AND HOSES"!

[bad box 371]

Here's a couple of articles as well as the actual FAA findings and decision:

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/04/08/faa-fines-port-authority-3-5-million-over-safety-violations-at-ny-area-airports/

http://cbsnewyork.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/final-panynj-settlement-agreement-and-order-040513.pdf

http://skift.com/2013/04/08/faa-fines-new-york-area-airports-3-5-million-for-safety-violations/

[SteveOFD 176]

Here is a link http://www.emtbravo.net/index.php/topic/48417-faa-fines-port-authority-of-ny-nj/ with the info on the split.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

I saw on Indeed.com that they were hiring a Fire Chief, so things must be progressing along. I'd expect to see more staff positions filled out as they progress, no?

Link to the job posting, in case anyone is interested:

https://pastaff.panynj.gov/psc/applicant/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL?Page=HRS_CE_JOB_DTL&Action=A&JobOpeningId=17196&SiteId=1&PostingSeq=1&PortalActualURL=https%3a%2f%2fpastaff.panynj.gov%2fpsc%2fapplicant%2fEMPLOYEE%2fHRMS%2fc%2fHRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL%3fPage%3dHRS_CE_JOB_DTL%26Action%3dA%26JobOpeningId%3d12291%26SiteId%3d1%26PostingSeq%3d1&PortalContentURL=https%3a%2f%2fpastaff.panynj.gov%2fpsc%2fapplicant%2fEMPLOYEE%2fHRMS%2fc%2fHRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL&PortalContentProvider=HRMS&PortalCRefLabel=Careers&PortalRegistryName=EMPLOYEE&PortalServletURI=https%3a%2f%2fpastaff.panynj.gov%2fpsp%2fapplicant%2f&PortalURI=https%3a%2f%2fpastaff.panynj.gov%2fpsc%2fapplicant%2f&PortalHostNode=HRMS&NoCrumbs=yes&

Edited June 26, 2013 by SageVigiles

[EMT111 149]

Is this going to include any other fire fighting units they have, such as the engine they have assigned to the GWB, or just the airports? I know they only have to make the change for the airports, but it would be a little weird to have fire fighting units and fire apparatus assigned to a fire unit and apparatus and personnel not assigned to the fire fighting unit.

[27east 19]

Is this going to include any other fire fighting units they have, such as the engine they have assigned to the GWB, or just the airports? I know they only have to make the change for the airports, but it would be a little weird to have fire fighting units and fire apparatus assigned to a fire unit and apparatus and personnel not assigned to the fire fighting unit.

tunnel and bridge agents staff the GWB engine