Gierl has been working at the Winnipeg Airport Authority for 11 years, and has been an airport firefighter for 25. He says that having an on-site fire brigade is crucial to the safety of the airport. To lay it out: a standard aircraft carries a massive amount of fuel, giving firefighters roughly three minutes to respond to a potential fire. His team gets there in a minute and a half.

The Winnipeg Airport fire team typically deals with six to eight fires a year, says Gierl, but his team handles around 300 calls relating to fires, medical emergencies and aircraft emergencies. Each firefighter is receives specialized training to deal with aircraft and airport-related emergencies,and on a daily basis, perform inspections, plan for emergencies and continue training.