COMMUTER LTT PARKED IN FIRE LANE IN FRONT OF FIRE STATION AT COU ARPT.

Narrative

IN MAY 1988 I WAS ACTING AS THE F/O ON FLT TO COLUMBIA; MISSOURI; IN AN LTT. PRIOR TO ARRIVAL AT AN OUT STATION COMPANY PROCEDURE REQUIRES THE CREW TO CALL THE PERSONNEL AT THE STATION TO ADVISE THEM THEY ARE 'IN RANGE'. ON THIS DAY WE COULD NOT REACH THE OUT STATION PERSONNEL AT COLUMBIA ON OUR RADIO. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE COLUMBIA ARPT WE WERE STILL UNABLE TO RAISE OUR COMPANY WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MARSHALLING US TO PARK OUR ACFT. WE TOLD GND CTL THIS AND ASKED THEM TO CALL THEM FOR US ON THE TELEPHONE. WE PROCEEDED TO TAXI TO THE POINT WE BELIEVED WE USUALLY PARKED AT; NOTING OUR COMPANY'S GND POWER CART AT OUR NORMAL SPACE. WE PARKED AND SHUT DOWN THE ACFT. AFTER SHUTDOWN I NOTICED A MAN AT THE FIRE STATION TAKING PICTURES OF OUR PLANE. OUR GND PERSONNEL ARRIVED AND DEPLANED THE ACFT AFTER SECURING IT IN THE NORMAL MANNER WITH CHOCKS. THE CAPT WENT TO THE FIRE DEPT AND FOUND OUT THE PICTURES WERE BECAUSE WE WERE PARKED IN THE FIRE LANE IN FRONT OF THE FIRE STATION. THE LINES FOR THIS LANE WERE NOT VISIBLE TO ME AT THE TIME OF PARKING BECAUSE THEY WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ACFT. WE REFUSED THE ACFT; BOARDED PASSENGERS AND LEFT WITHIN ABOUT 15 MINUTES. THE LINES FOR THE FIRE LANE NEED TO BE CLEARER AND SPECIFY THAT IT IS A NO PARKING AREA IN WRITING; THEY ARE EASILY MISSED. MY CAPT AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE SHUT DOWN THE ACFT WITHOUT FIRST HAVING OUR COMPANY PERSONNEL PARK US PROPERLY.