The New South Wales Rural Fire Service did not have a policy or procedures in place to manage task rejections, nor to communicate this information internally or to other pilots working in the same area of operation.
The ATSB notes the introduction of a task rejection procedure and associated supporting documents. This incorporates an obligation on the Incident Management Team and/or State Air Desk to ensure all aircraft and operators assigned to an incident are advised of the dispatch/task rejection and rationale as soon as possible, as well as the inclusion of the rejection details in their online system. Provision of this information will allow pilots to incorporate this information into their decision making. The ATSB is satisfied that these changes to the procedures and guidance have reduced the risk associated with this safety issue.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau recommends that the New South Wales Rural Fire Service take further action to address the absence of policies and procedures for personnel to effectively manage and communicate task rejections on the basis of operational safety concerns.
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service 'acknowledges that the task rejection policies and procedures, if in existence, would have fed into tasking decisions. However, it does not necessarily follow that the existence of task rejection policies and procedures would have resulted in the Bomber 134 tasking/s being cancelled or rejected.'
A 'comprehensive review undertaken with relevant doctrine from within the United States of America noting minimal doctrine identified from within Australia. This work was supplemented with a study tour to the United States of America during October 2022.'
'A new Operational Management Procedures - Dispatch and Task Rejection drafted and finalised incorporating the research outcomes. Additionally, 16 existing pieces updated and published to reflect and incorporate this new procedure, including the Interagency Aviation Standard Operating Procedures.' The new procedure has also been circulated to all aviation specialists and aviation operators/pilots.
The ATSB notes the updated policies and procedures, and the new Operational Management Procedure, which incorporates the key point ‘After any aviation dispatch/tasking rejection by an individual, aircrew, operators, all aviation resources assigned to the incident, or tasked to perform a similar mission, must immediately be informed of the dispatch/tasking rejection and rationale."
Specifically, the procedure stated that, ‘Where two or more aircraft reject a dispatch/tasking, the State Air Desk Duty Officer will undertake an assessment of the operating environment in conjunction with the State Operations Controller’. However, the ATSB identified that there was no guidance material provided to support this assessment.
On 31 January 2023, the ATSB emailed the NSW RFS seeking further clarification on the task rejection policies and procedures. In particular:
The following documents have been updated clarifying the questions raised:
- Operational Management Procedure - Rejection of a Aviation Dispatch/Tasking
- Air Tanker Guidelines (2023)
An interim manual process has been incorporated to provide guidance when assessing dispatch/task rejection or initial attack operations however this may not be the best way to undertake such assessment during heightened periods of activity.
To provide a systemised, automated and consistent approach to such assessments, NSW RFS has initiated a project to develop an aviation risk assessment tool within the Athena Bush Fire Intelligence program. Business requirements are currently being scoped to inform this important project which will further enhance operational safety.
I am also pleased to advise the NSW RFS is finalising the recruitment of an Aviation Safety Officer to enhance and better inform aviation programs.
Additionally, a study tour was approved last year providing senior NSW RFS officers with an opportunity to inspect kindred fire agency aviation programs and to participate in discourse on best practice and challenges related to aerial fire fighting. The NSW RFS delegation visited the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), United States Forest Service (USFS) and National Interagency Fire Centre (NIFC) during October 2022 who operate a significant fire-fighting fleet.
The study tour proved to be extremely informative and beneficial resulting in several recommendations to enhance aerial fire fighting and other emergency operations within the NSW RFS.
The ATSB notes the updated Operational Management Procedures, and guidance provided when assessing task rejection or initial attack operations through the provision of an operational assessment sheet. The ATSB considers that this action, in conjunction with the previously advised action addresses the identified safety issue.
The ATSB welcomes the further development of an aviation risk assessment tool, inclusion of Aviation Safety Officer role, and other planned and implemented actions that will continue to enhance safety in the aerial firefighting industry.
