Transcript Overview of Continental Flight 3407

Overview of
Continental Flight 3407
Clarence Center, NY
Speaker: Tom Chmielowiec Sr.
PowerPoint Layout By: Tom Chmielowiec Jr.
ARFF Working Group Convention, Dallas, Texas
August 30th 2009
Continental Flight 3407
► Bombardier
Dash 8
► Seating for 70 passengers
► Maximum Cruise Speed: 414 mph
Source: T. Chmielowiec Jr.
Continental Flight 3407
► Crashed
in Clarence Center, NY
► February 12, 2009
► 22:20 hours
► Traveling from Newark, NJ to Buffalo, NY
► 49 souls on board (all perished)
► 1 ground fatality
► Total 50 fatalities
Weather
► Temp:
33° F
► Humidity: 92%
► Winds: WSW @ 17mph
► Gusts: 25 mph
► Light snow / fog
► Visibility: 3 miles
► Ceiling: 2100 ft.
The Night of
► Call
received at approximately 22:20 for an
aircraft missing off radar
► Information, location somewhere between
the outer marker and Harris Hill, which is
approximately 12 miles northeast from
airport
► All trucks idle in firehouse with no where to
go
► ARFF
contacted Amherst Fire Control to find
out if there were any reported airplanes
down in their districts
► Amherst reported beginning to dispatch
Clarence Center VFC to Long Ave for an
Aircraft into a structure
► ARFF offers assistance to the crash site,
Clarence Center Command asks for 2
vehicles from the ARFF (F-3, F-4)
► ARFF contacts Tower of the confirmation of
the crash, and gives location
Source: AP
Source: NY Times
Emergency Plan
► Airport
goes into full Emergency Plan
► Plan was set up for On and Off Site Airport
Operations
Source: AP
On Site Airport Ops
► Includes
 Family Grief and Pastoral Counseling
 Total recall of ARFF personnel
 As personnel arrived at Firehouse
►Additional
manpower was assigned to balance of
ARFF equipment still in Firehouse
►Medical attention to grieving families in terminal
►To assist in setting up as liaison officers at Erie
County EOC
►Additional manpower were prepping to go to site
Off Site Airport Ops
► Airport
Emergency Plan changed from SOPs
to SOGs
► 12 minute response from Airport Firehouse
to crash site
► 20 minute delay at crash site due to number
of fire apparatus blocking the roads
► On site Clarence Center IC had to have fire
apparatus moved so that ARFF apparatus
could get into the scene
Crash Site
► Massive
confusion with Law Enforcement
with Scene Safety and Perimeter Security,
unable to get additional foam into the scene
► Additional phone calls from ARFF to
Amherst Fire Control to clear Airport
resource response
► Evacuation of neighbors and spectators
from crash scene to make room for
Emergency Responders
Crash Site (cont.)
► Niagara
Falls Air Force Base called to
respond with additional foam
► Bulk of fire extinguishment 90 min.
► Fire under control by 10:00 hours Feb. 13th
► Vol. Fire Companies released from scene
► ARFF assumes commands and fire watch
Source: AP
Source: AP
“Eternal Flame”
Source: NY Times
“Eternal Flame” (cont.)
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Report of magnesium burning underground
Clean flame visible
Dumped 450 lb. Purple K down vent hole
Fire would go out, and reignite like a hot water tank
Notified Gas Company again to shut down main pipeline
Leak was discovered between the main and curb shut off
Used inferred camera to show roaring furnace
underground, evacuated personnel from debris cleanup
Gas company shut down main
ARFF flooded scene with 9,000 gal. water to extinguish
underground fire
Cleanup/ Salvage
► Complete
cooperation with NTSB, FBI, FAA,
Local Agencies
► Tools used





Trowels
Garden shovels
Buckets
Sifting screens
Tarps
Clear plastic bags
Source: AP
Source: AP
Source: AP
Source: NTSB
Hospitality
► All
Clarence Center Firefighters were
removed off scene by their fire chief and
provided “home cooked” meals 24/7 to
remaining agencies for 14 days and nights
► Surrounding communities supported the
effort by bringing food and beverages to the
fire hall, and command posts for preparation
Whose In Charge?
► Media
coverage
► Erie County
► City of Buffalo
► NTSB, FBI, FAA
► Buffalo Airport
► Law Enforcement
► Political Gains
Final Remarks
► Training
vs. Real Life
► ICS System (Town of Clarence/ Erie County)
► Equipment Contamination
► Recouping Expenses
► Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
Questions?