Dräger, an international leader in the fields of medical and safety technology, has provided East Midlands Airport dedicated team of airport firefighters with self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) PSS® AirBoss sets with Merlin telemetry entry control boards (ECB). It is the first UK mainland airport to introduce telemetry as part of its firefighting capability, enhancing its ability to monitor the wellbeing and safety of emergency responders wearing SCBA whilst attending incidents.
East Midlands Airport (EMA) serves more than four million passengers each year, with seven new destinations added for the upcoming travel season. In addition to commercial flights, the airport is also the UK’s sole inland freeport, a major hub for DHL, UPS, and YunExpress, establishing it as the UK’s busiest dedicated freight hub and a key part of the nation’s critical infrastructure.
The in-house Rescue and Fire Fighting Service (RFFS) at EMA is responsible for protecting aircraft operations, responding to aircraft incidents on stands and on the runway, where safety and landing continuity are critical. Its remit also extends to a range of other operational risks including; medical emergencies, fuel spillages, gas incidents and vehicle and domestic incidents across key airport infrastructure. Similar to local authority fire and rescue, the RFFS is developing new ways of firefighting to combat emerging risks such as lithium-ion battery fires from electric service vehicles used at the airport.
To strengthen its aircraft and other incident response times, and ensure firefighter safety, the RFFS required an upgrade to its existing safety equipment to further protect firefighters and reinforce overall EMA resilience, ensuring the dedicated crews were self-sufficient. The RFFS will normally be deployed before the arrival of support crews from local authority fire and rescue service and will work alongside them under well established emergency plans and procedures including when operating in SCBA. Key outcome requirements for their new equipment specification included ability to support modernisation, rapid deployment within time critical responses, and providing advanced technical reliability and ease of use for the wearer and entry control operative.
The RFFS team assessed various products to meet these requirements, and has selected Dräger’s PSS® AirBoss Connect SCBA with Merlin Telemetry system. The PSS® AirBoss system was selected as its lightweight, ergonomic fit stood out to the team involved in the equipment evaluation process and the durable space frame design offers a low weight and low profile enabling faster donning to meet rapid deployment requirements. Firefighting crew’s feedback indicated that the kit felt comfortable to wear while still feeling robust and protective.
With low-absorbent and liquid repellent harness materials which protect the SCBA from a wide range of contaminants, the PSS® AirBoss SCBA also met the EMA requirements for easy cleaning, as its design minimises traps for particulates and contaminants. The entire SCBA is also machine washable, resulting in a significant decrease in equipment downtime, and contributing to the overall resilience of the RFFS.
The Merlin Telemetry system will now provide the RFFS with continuous remote, real-time monitoring of the SCBA wearers’ respiratory equipment status including air pressure and remaining cylinder volume, overseen and communicated via a stable radio signal direct to the ECB. When the emergency responder is deployed at an incident wearing SCBA, a tally is inserted into the ECB, activating the connection with the SCBA wearers who are automatically added to the ECB, via the direct communication channel. By linking SCBA wearers directly to the ECB, the Merlin telemetry system helps reduce manual checks giving the Entry Control Operative and Incident Commanders an immediate view of crew status, their safety and wellbeing, supporting faster and more confident deployment and decision making in time-critical incidents.
This marks a significant step forward in airport firefighter safety making the RFFS at EMA the first mainland airport in the UK to introduce telemetry into its operations.
Jez Paget, Station Manager at East Midlands Airport explained how Dräger’s solutions have supported the airport’s RFFS: “We’ve been very pleased with how straightforward the technology is to use, making both training and day-to-day operations simple and efficient while still delivering the advanced functionality we need. The Merlin entry control board in particular is quick and intuitive to use, which is critical in a fast-paced airport environment, helping firefighters stay focused on the operational response rather than manually monitoring their air status.”
Elizabeth Milward, Marketing Manager Emergency and Rescue Services at Draeger Safety UK, praised EMA’s adoption of telemetry: “East Midlands Airport has taken an important step forward by becoming the first mainland airport in the UK to introduce telemetry into its firefighting operations. The unique challenges faced by airport firefighters require technology that is simple to use, supports rapid deployment and strengthens situational awareness, helping crews and commanders respond with greater confidence in time-critical environments.”
For more information please visit: https://www.draeger.com/en_uk/Home
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Dräger
Turning technology into “Technology for Life”
Dräger manufactures medical and safety technology products. We protect, support, and save people's lives around the world in hospitals, with fire departments, emergency services, authorities, and in mining as well as industry. Founded in Lübeck in 1889, Dräger has grown into a worldwide, listed enterprise in its fifth generation as a family-run business. Dräger has more than 16,000 employees worldwide and is present in over 190 countries around the globe. In 2023, the company generated net sales of EUR 3.4 billion.
Dräger technology is used all over the world. We operate in around 50 countries with our own sales and service companies directly on location where our customers are.
