1. (a) Aircraft fire protection personnel are employees of a local governmental entity who, as a permanent duty assignment, fight aircraft fires at airports; stand by for potential crash landings; and perform aircraft and fire fighting duties.
2. (b) All personnel identified as aircraft fire protection personnel must be certified to at least the basic level by the commission within one year from their employment in an aircraft fire protection personnel position.

3. (c) Prior to being assigned to aircraft fire suppression duties, all personnel must:

   1. (1) successfully complete a commission approved basic fire suppression course and pass the commission's examination pertaining to that curriculum; and
   2. (2) successfully complete a commission approved basic aircraft fire protection course and pass the commission's examination pertaining to that curriculum.
4. (d) "Stand by" means the act of responding to a designated position in the movement area on the airfield at which initial response fire and rescue units will await the arrival of an aircraft experiencing an announced emergency.
5. (e) "Movement area" is comprised of all runways, taxiways, and other areas of the airport which are used for taxiing or hover taxiing, take-off, and landing of aircraft, exclusive of loading ramps and aircraft parking areas.
6. (f) All personnel holding any level of aircraft fire protection personnel certification shall be required to comply with the continuing education specified in §441.9 of this title (relating to Continuing Education Requirements for Aircraft Fire Protection Personnel).
7. (g) Aircraft fire protection personnel who are assigned structure fire suppression duties must be certified, as a minimum, as basic structural fire protection personnel.

Source Note:The provisions of this §423.201 adopted to be effective November 1, 1998, 23 TexReg 10889.