Fire equipment slow to respond to an emergency.

Attributes
ACN	140401
Time
Date	199003
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : csg
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : csg
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 2
ASRS Report	140401
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I was working the local controller position. The aircraft departed runway 23 with a right turn on course. Approximately 1/4 mi off the departure end, the pilot reported smoke in the cockpit due to an electrical fire. I cleared him to land on any runway and reclred the one other aircraft in the air traffic area to prevent a conflict. I then picked up the phone to the crash station and advised them of an aircraft on final for runway 12 with smoke in the cockpit. The crash station is clearly visible from the tower and there was no sense of urgency at all as the firefighters walked to the trucks. By the time the first truck exited the crash station and established radio contact, the aircraft had cleared the runway and advised that he would not need assistance. When the second truck established radio contact with me, he inquired as to which the runway the aircraft was inbound for. At this pint, I was able to advise him that the first truck was already returning to the station. Had this become any type of real emergency, valuable time would have been lost. I don't know how to instill a sense of urgency in firefighters, but I would think that frequent surprise practices would help. In 2 yrs, I have not seen a practice session although I have heard of one.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FIRE EQUIPMENT SLOW TO RESPOND TO AN EMERGENCY.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE LCL CTLR POS. THE ACFT DEPARTED RWY 23 WITH A RIGHT TURN ON COURSE. APPROX 1/4 MI OFF THE DEP END, THE PLT RPTED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I CLRED HIM TO LAND ON ANY RWY AND RECLRED THE ONE OTHER ACFT IN THE ATA TO PREVENT A CONFLICT. I THEN PICKED UP THE PHONE TO THE CRASH STATION AND ADVISED THEM OF AN ACFT ON FINAL FOR RWY 12 WITH SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. THE CRASH STATION IS CLEARLY VISIBLE FROM THE TWR AND THERE WAS NO SENSE OF URGENCY AT ALL AS THE FIREFIGHTERS WALKED TO THE TRUCKS. BY THE TIME THE FIRST TRUCK EXITED THE CRASH STATION AND ESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT, THE ACFT HAD CLRED THE RWY AND ADVISED THAT HE WOULD NOT NEED ASSISTANCE. WHEN THE SECOND TRUCK ESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT WITH ME, HE INQUIRED AS TO WHICH THE RWY THE ACFT WAS INBND FOR. AT THIS PINT, I WAS ABLE TO ADVISE HIM THAT THE FIRST TRUCK WAS ALREADY RETURNING TO THE STATION. HAD THIS BECOME ANY TYPE OF REAL EMER, VALUABLE TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN LOST. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO INSTILL A SENSE OF URGENCY IN FIREFIGHTERS, BUT I WOULD THINK THAT FREQUENT SURPRISE PRACTICES WOULD HELP. IN 2 YRS, I HAVE NOT SEEN A PRACTICE SESSION ALTHOUGH I HAVE HEARD OF ONE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.