Tulsa Firefighters Tear Into Plane As Part Of Training

Tulsa firefighters practiced their airport rescue skills Monday by cutting into a DC 10 airplane that's set to be scrapped.

Tulsa firefighters would be the ones to normally respond to the airport if there's a need, so they are practicing how to get into a downed aircraft.

They practice all the time and are even tested by the FAA on a regular basis, but doing hands-on training doesn't come along very often.

"The airline industry is a very safe industry and we seldom get to practice your skills as you would on a car wreck or a house fire, which we do every day," Said Captain Stan May with the Tulsa Fire Department.

They cut into the side of the plane, just as they might have to do to rescue trapped passengers if the exits aren't useable for some reason.

They quickly learned that even though it's made of aluminum, there are many layers and it's very strong. So they tested different blades and angles.

"We've got a whole list of things we can use when we get there, so we're trying each one of them to see what works best on which parts of the airplane," May said.

On the other side of the aircraft, they used a metal piercing nozzle to break out windows and make holes in the side of the plane.

The advantage of practicing on a real plane is they can see where the seams are and where the weak spots may be.

"When we poke holes in the side of an airplane, we can run water through that nozzle, water and foam into the airplane to knock down fumes and if there is a fire, to knock down the fire," Captain May said.

The firefighters agree the training is invaluable and it's better to know now what works and what doesn't than having to figure it out during a real crisis.

The firefighters from station 51 will be training on the DC-10 Tuesday and Wednesday, and then it will be turned into scrap metal.