What type of incidents do ARFF units remain on standby for?

• A. Scheduled maintenance operations
• B. Unscheduled incidents
• C. Routine training exercises
• D. All airport emergencies

Answer: (B)

ARFF (Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting) units are specifically prepared to respond to emergencies related to air travel and airport operations. When considering the nature of their standby role, the primary focus is on being ready for unscheduled incidents that could arise unexpectedly, such as aircraft emergencies, fuel spills, or other critical situations that require immediate response to ensure safety.

Being on standby for unscheduled incidents highlights the unit's role in rapid response capabilities essential for minimizing risk and managing emergencies that can occur at any time. While they may also participate in routine training exercises and are involved in the planning for scheduled maintenance operations, their core responsibility is responding to those incidents that happen out of the blue and require immediate action. This makes their preparation for unscheduled incidents vital.

Scheduled maintenance operations typically have planned safety protocols and do not require the immediate readiness of ARFF units in the same way as unscheduled emergencies. Routine training exercises are important for practice and skill enhancement but are not the primary reason for ARFF units to remain on standby. All airport emergencies would be a broader classification, but the specific focus of ARFF readiness is primarily geared towards unanticipated situations needing swift intervention.