Brac airport resumes jet service

[Sue/Dave]

From Cayman Compass:
"Brac’s airport reopened over the weekend to commercial jet services after a replacement fire truck arrived from Little Cayman. The airport had been open to small aircraft only since a fire truck flipped over on the runway about two weeks ago, causing the temporary closure of the facility."

Brac airport reopens 2 weeks after fire truck crash | Cayman Compass

 

[Doctorfish]

Sorry the firefighters were injured, but how do you roll a fire truck on a runway?
Incompetence? Impaired driving? Inexperience?

Anyone have any insight?

 

[Drew Sailbum]

No idea if this is true in this case, but a fire truck with a partially filled water tank may experience substantial shifts in momentum and have a high center of mass. A bit of water sloshing during the slightest change of direction in steering and over she goes.

Of course for this very reason there should be baffles in the tank to minimize any such water movement, but it cannot avoid the high center of mass issue entirely.

 

[AggieDiver]

They were reportedly doing a "speed test" that is required for the equipment as part of the aviation regulations. No idea if that includes making turns at speed or just a flat out straightline run down the tarmac. It wasn't a joy ride or anything from the reports I have read.

 

[Doctorfish]

I'm always a skeptic when it comes to single vehicle accidents in any jurisdiction.
Can't remember the last time I read about a fire truck flipping over in my part of the world.

 

[KathyV]

I'm always a skeptic when it comes to single vehicle accidents in any jurisdiction.
Can't remember the last time I read about a fire truck flipping over in my part of the world.

Apparently a similar model fire engine from the same manufacturer rolled over at the GCM airport several years ago and is known to have a tendency to tip over during turns, even at low speeds; not a good feature in a fire truck! High winds are pretty common in the islands too, but I don't know if that was a factor in the recent accident.
ARFF ROLLOVER IN ROYAL CAYMAN ISLANDS – WARNINGS PRIOR TO CRASH!

A new fire truck has been purchased for Brac but from a different manufacturer:
New fire truck for the Brac | Cayman Compass

Also, a fire truck from Grand Cayman is being sent to Brac because an inspection revealed that one of Brac's trucks is corroded due to driving through salt water during Hurricane Paloma several years ago:
Cayman Islands Government (via Public) / Fleet Assessment on CIFS Vehicles

Fire trucks are very expensive items but Cayman is a wealthy country and they can afford to take steps to ensure the public safety; it sounds like their fire fleet needs updating!

 

[Doctorfish]

Maybe they should consider assigning the new high tech truck to Owen Roberts airport where there are many daily flights and putting one of the older machines on the Brac where the probability of a crash/fire is much lower.

Hard to believe that there have been no new trucks put in service since 2006 even though the average life expectancy of a truck seems to be 10 years. Cayman can surely afford quality emergency services.

Maybe not just the trucks need replacement.

 

[KathyV]

You know, I always get the feeling that the sister islands are actually "the neglected step-sister islands". A local on Cayman Brac once told me that when the weekly supply barge comes in, it usually has been picked over on GC and they get stuck with the leftovers.

I can understand why that happens. Grand Cayman is bigger and far more populated and draws many times more tourists and produces most of the revenue for the islands, but Cayman is a very rich country - have you seen all those offshore banks in Georgetown?! The US dollar is only worth 0.80 cents there!

I think that they can afford decent, safe, new fire trucks for all 3 islands, and in general, they can afford state of the art public safety equipment and services, too.

 

[Slow]

Fire truck rollover in training might not be all that rare.

Fire training accident sends two people to the hospital

I have heard that this Nebraska one was due to driving trainers telling students to take a corner too fast when it was full of water...

 

[releck97]

You know, I always get the feeling that the sister islands are actually "the neglected step-sister islands". A local on Cayman Brac once told me that when the weekly supply barge comes in, it usually has been picked over on GC and they get stuck with the leftovers.

I can understand why that happens. Grand Cayman is bigger and far more populated and draws many times more tourists and produces most of the revenue for the islands, but Cayman is a very rich country - have you seen all those offshore banks in Georgetown?! The US dollar is only worth 0.80 cents there!

I think that they can afford decent, safe, new fire trucks for all 3 islands, and in general, they can afford state of the art public safety equipment and services, too.

I'd love to watch how the supply barge is picked over. I'm assuming much of the perishable foodstuffs come in refrigerated containers that are probably tagged for their final destination, no?