13

On ground control radio in his speeding car, Mel Bakersfeld could hear airport emergency vehicles being summoned and positioned.
"Ground control to city twenty-five."
Twenty-five was the call sign of the airport fire chief.
"This is city twenty-five rolling. Go ahead ground."
"Further information, Category two emer ' gency in ap- proximately thirty-five minutes. The flig,,ht in question is disabled and landing on runway three zero, if runway open. If not open, will use runway two five."
Whenever they could, airport controllers avoided naming, on radio, an airline involved in any accident, or a potential one, The phrase "the fli.iht in question" was used as a cover. Airlines were touchy about such things, taking the view that the fewer times their name was repeated in that kind of context, the better.
Just the same, Mel was aware, what had happened tonight would get plenty of publicity, most likely worldwide.
"City twenty-five to ground control. Is the pilot requesting foam on runway?"

"No foam. Repeat, no foam."
The absence of foam meant that the aircraft had serviceable landing gear and would not require a belly landing.
All emergency vehicles, Mel knew-pumpers, salvage trucks, and ambulances-woidd be following the fire chief, who also had a separate radio channel to communicate with them individually. When an emergency was notified, no one waited. They observed the principle: better to be ready too soon than too late. Emergency crews would now take up position between the two runways, ready to move to either as necessary. The procedure was no improvisation. Every move for situations like this was detailed in an airport emergency master plan.
When there was a break in transmissions, Mel thumbed on his own radio mike.
"Ground control from mobile one."
"Mobile one, go ahead."
"Has Joe Patroni, with stalled aircraft on runway three zero, been advised of new emergency situation?"
"Affirmative. We are in radio touch."
"What is Patroni's report on progress?"