Chris Menge, 2nd Vice Chair of the Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Working Group (ARFFWG) spoke with Assistant Editor, Isabelle Crow, about the impact of training and the importance of advancing aviation fire protection.
Chris joined the fire service in 1998, beginning his service with Hagaman Volunteer Fire Department before enlisting in the military. During his time in the military, he served as a firefighter for ten years, including two tours in Iraq. He currently works as a Deputy Fire Chief with Albany Airport Fire Department, as well as a State Fire Instructor for the Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
Alongside his professional career, Chris has earned his B.S. in Emergency Management with the American Military University and his M.S in Emergency and Disaster Management with the University of New Haven. His passion for education and training has been further cemented by his national certification as Fire Officer 4 and Section 1 Director.
In this interview, Chris explains why exchanging knowledge is an essential part of personal growth and how the ARFFWG have helped to lead the way in raising awareness for aviation firefighting.
Training and education really are the backbone of being a good firefighter. The fire service is changing faster than ever, driven by new science and technology. These days, you have to understand everything from modern construction methods to the physics of fire behavior. When I first started, a lot of that wasn’t part of our day-to-day learning, but now it’s essential.
Personally, I see learning as a continuous process. Staying current keeps us safe and makes sure we are ready to protect the traveling public. I always say we honor the past, but today’s officers face even higher expectations. Fire departments have become the catch-all for emergency services. When people call 911, they expect us to solve the problem — no excuses.
A good friend of mine talks about “catching ripples.” When life throws a rock into the pond, our job is to calm the ripples as fast as possible. I think that’s what good leadership is about too — bringing stability to chaotic situations.
Honestly, I see the impact every day. The ARFFWG works hard to provide education and technical resources, as an international organization we are dedicated to advancing aviation fire protection through education, collaboration and innovation.
We partner with organizations like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and we’ve hosted symposiums at major events like FDIC International and American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE). Those sessions help bridge the gap between airport firefighters and management. It’s rewarding to see that communication improve and watch it lead to better outcomes on the ground.
Training is highly regulated in our world. The FAA outlines what we must cover and inspects us annually. But airports vary a lot — some have big teams and budgets, others don’t. To help, we run quarterly calls with training officers across the industry. Here, we swap ideas, share challenges and offer resources. It’s about making sure no one is left trying to reinvent the wheel alone.
It’s hugely valuable, being an international organization we get insights from around the world. US departments follow FAA standards, but internationally a lot of teams follow International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines. Seeing how others handle similar challenges gives us new perspectives and I always come back from our conferences energized because of the ideas and real-world experiences that are shared. It’s the backbone of our community.
I think if you asked around, you’d hear the same two themes; green technologies and staffing. The aviation industry is moving quickly toward greener fuels and designs, but that creates new firefighting challenges. We must adapt our training and tactics to keep pace and staffing’s been a constant issue. Keeping our departments properly staffed and ready is mission critical as staffing shortages also push us to focus on mentorship. I’ve made it a priority to invest time in developing younger firefighters, helping them build not just skills, but the leadership mindset we need to sustain the service into the future.
That’s something the ARFFWG has been working hard on. There’s this misconception that aviation firefighting is slow because incidents are rare- but that’s not the reality. We have to maintain a high state of readiness and handle extremely technical emergencies when they happen.
Getting out to conferences like FDIC and working with other emergency services groups has been key. Every time we explain what we do and how specialized it is, people start to get it. We’re working hard to show that aviation fire rescue is an integral part of the broader emergency services world.
Absolutely, we’re gearing up for our annual conference this September at Mohegan Sun Resort in Uncasville, Connecticut, which should be fantastic. We’re expecting to host ARFF professionals from 25 different countries, plus the US and Puerto Rico.
Here, we will be representing over 390 airports, fire departments and armed forces, along with subject matter experts from the FAA and major manufacturers in the aviation industry.
Beyond that, we’re growing our outreach programs and building new technical collaborations worldwide. Our focus remains clear; we want to make sure every ARFF professional is ready for the next generation of challenges in aviation firefighting.
