How the LRF responds

Aircraft emergencies plans

A major air incident or emergency is by its nature sudden and catastrophic, placing all the organisations concerned with the response under intense pressure. The scale of such events means their effects often cross administrative boundaries and involves a massive and lengthy recovery operation.

Major incidents involving aircraft that occur within airfield boundaries will call for a local response based upon Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations. The following airfields in Bedfordshire are subject to CAA Regulations:

1. London Luton Airport
2. Cranfield Airport
3. Old Warden (Shuttleworth Collection)

London Luton Airport
For London Luton Airport (LLA), the following will apply:

There are three areas an accident could happen, and different responses needed for each:

1. On site (within the boundaries of the airport)
   The LLA Fire Fighting and Rescue Service will respond to the accident supported by the emergeny services. However, the Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service (BLFRS) will have the main responsibility for fire and rescue.
Off site (but within three miles of the airport):
If the accident is within three miles of the airport, the London Luton Airport Fire Fighting and Rescue Service will normally support the Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service with up to 50% of their airport fire and rescue resources. The watch commander and National Air Traffic Services (NATS) senior air traffic manager will decide how much to send.
3. Off site (more than three miles from the airport):
   Emergency services will respond in full to any accident that happens three miles or more from the airport. They will be involved in managing the response and providing help as necessary while keeping back resources that are needed to run the airport.

LLA's existing arrangements contained in their onsite plan may also be used off site in certain circumstances. These include the following:

a) Reception centre arrangements – If the affected aircraft was en route to or from LLA, the onsite plan may be activated and the necessary reception centre(s) may be activated at pre-designated areas in the airport terminal. However, reception centre(s) may have to be established beyond the confines of the airport. If so, contact the local authority DEPO.

b) Chaplaincy support – The airport Chaplaincy Emergency Response Team (CERT) respond to aircraft accidents at or near London Luton Airport. The team offer welfare, emotional, practical and spiritual support to those in the emergency centres including survivor and humanitarian assistance centres, and to all affected airport-based staff, during and following a major incident.

The London Luton Airport perimeter is on the county boundary with Hertfordshire, which has its own response plan for an offsite incident affecting Hertfordshire.

Cranfield Airport
In respect of Cranfield Airport, the following arrangements will apply:

1. On site – CA has its own dedicated Rescue and Fire Fighting Service (RFFS) who would respond to an onsite incident. They would be supported by county fire and rescue services from Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The county emergency services have their own response plan for the site.
2. Offsite – within a two-mile radius of the airport the Cranfield RFFS would at the discretion of the Air Traffic Controller proceed up to two nautical miles from the airport boundary.
3. Off site – beyond the two-mile radius Cranfield RFFS would not normally respond. However, should the RFFS duty officer consider it necessary, they could choose to make a limited further response.

The Cranfield Airport emergency plan allows for a number of designated buildings to be made available where required. If there is an offsite incident, the Airport Duty Officer should be consulted.

Old Warden
Old Warden is used mainly for flying displays and matters related to the collection held there. When in use the airfield has its Airfield Fire Service, which would respond to an onsite incident. They would be supported by the BLFRS. The emergency services have their own response plans for the site.

The Old Warden Airfield Fire Service and the provisions made within the site-specific plan would not normally be expected to be used in an offsite incident.

Download the Aircraft Emergencies plan [Adobe PDF document, 3.82 MB]

To learn more about the risk of aircraft accidents click here.

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