Narrative:

This is one of those 'thought you might like to know' reports. As we were preparing for pushback at sacramento the fueler came into the cockpit with our completed fuel sheet. To our surprise the fueler was dressed in the uniform of local fire squad (on field). Upon questioning the fueler, we discovered that he was in fact one of the 9 on duty fire fighters assigned to the airport that day. In his words, airport officials did not like the fire fighters 'sitting in the fire house doing nothing.' so 8 of them were assigned to fuel aircraft while 1 supervisor remained at the fire house. This is a typical and ongoing practice. When we asked the fueler/fire fighter what would happen if he had to respond to an emergency situation we were even more surprised. This fire fighter would be notified by radio. Then he would: discontinue his present fueling operation, drive his fuel truck back to the fire house, don his fire fighting gear and then drive to the scene. So much for the critical first response time. Needless to say this is a very unsafe operation that jeopardizes everyone who operates an aircraft at the sacramento airport -- commercial and GA alike. When there is a situation that demands the skills of these professionals, lives will be lost because local officials do not want the fire fighters 'sitting in the fire house doing nothing.' well, at least the fire fighters will know how much fuel is on the airplane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR'S COMMENTS ABOUT ON DUTY FIREMEN BEING USED TO FUEL ACR ACFT AT SMF AS ARPT POLICY.

Narrative: THIS IS ONE OF THOSE 'THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW' RPTS. AS WE WERE PREPARING FOR PUSHBACK AT SACRAMENTO THE FUELER CAME INTO THE COCKPIT WITH OUR COMPLETED FUEL SHEET. TO OUR SURPRISE THE FUELER WAS DRESSED IN THE UNIFORM OF LCL FIRE SQUAD (ON FIELD). UPON QUESTIONING THE FUELER, WE DISCOVERED THAT HE WAS IN FACT ONE OF THE 9 ON DUTY FIRE FIGHTERS ASSIGNED TO THE ARPT THAT DAY. IN HIS WORDS, ARPT OFFICIALS DID NOT LIKE THE FIRE FIGHTERS 'SITTING IN THE FIRE HOUSE DOING NOTHING.' SO 8 OF THEM WERE ASSIGNED TO FUEL ACFT WHILE 1 SUPVR REMAINED AT THE FIRE HOUSE. THIS IS A TYPICAL AND ONGOING PRACTICE. WHEN WE ASKED THE FUELER/FIRE FIGHTER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF HE HAD TO RESPOND TO AN EMER SITUATION WE WERE EVEN MORE SURPRISED. THIS FIRE FIGHTER WOULD BE NOTIFIED BY RADIO. THEN HE WOULD: DISCONTINUE HIS PRESENT FUELING OP, DRIVE HIS FUEL TRUCK BACK TO THE FIRE HOUSE, DON HIS FIRE FIGHTING GEAR AND THEN DRIVE TO THE SCENE. SO MUCH FOR THE CRITICAL FIRST RESPONSE TIME. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE OP THAT JEOPARDIZES EVERYONE WHO OPERATES AN ACFT AT THE SACRAMENTO ARPT -- COMMERCIAL AND GA ALIKE. WHEN THERE IS A SITUATION THAT DEMANDS THE SKILLS OF THESE PROFESSIONALS, LIVES WILL BE LOST BECAUSE LCL OFFICIALS DO NOT WANT THE FIRE FIGHTERS 'SITTING IN THE FIRE HOUSE DOING NOTHING.' WELL, AT LEAST THE FIRE FIGHTERS WILL KNOW HOW MUCH FUEL IS ON THE AIRPLANE.

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.