Regulation 167 Powers of spaceport firefighters in an emergency

(1)

A member of the Rescue and Fire Fighting Service at a spaceport may do anything at a spaceport that the member reasonably believes to be necessary—

(a)

if the member reasonably believes a fire to have broken out or to be about to break out, for the purpose of extinguishing or preventing the fire or protecting life or property,

(b)

if the member reasonably believes an accident to have occurred, for the purpose of rescuing people or protecting them from serious harm, or

(c)

for the purpose of preventing or limiting damage to property resulting from any action taken as mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) or (b).

(2)

In particular, a member of the Rescue and Fire Fighting Service at a spaceport, when acting in accordance with paragraph (1), may at the spaceport—

(a)

enter a launch vehicle, by force if necessary, without the consent of the owner or spaceflight operator;

(b)

restrict the access of persons to a launch vehicle or a place.

(3)

A person who without reasonable excuse obstructs or interferes with a member of the Rescue and Fire Fighting Service at a spaceport taking authorised action under this regulation commits an offence.

(4)

A person who commits an offence under paragraph (3) is liable—

(a)

on summary conviction in England and Wales, to a fine;

(b)

on summary conviction in Scotland or Northern Ireland, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;

(c)

on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.