FORT SMITH (KFSM)—The Federal Aviation Administration awarded the Fort Smith Regional Airport a $3.1 million grant this week to build a fire station.
“Currently, we do not have our own fire station,” Airport Director Michael Griffin said. “When we took over the aircraft rescue firefighting in 2014, we did not have our own fire station since the National Guard provided those fire services for many years.”
Three years ago the 188th changed its mission, requiring the airport to provide their own fire services. On Monday (July 24), they found out they got the grant, which is part of the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program.
“Right now we’re working out of a temporary facility,” Griffin said. “This will allow our airport firefighters to have a location right in the center of the airfield that is our location to work out of.”
Griffin said if all goes according to plan, the new fire station should be complete by this time next year.
“We are the initial response for any aircraft emergencies,” Griffin said. “The alerts come through the air traffic control tower directly to our firefighters, and they are the first responders on the scene with the ability to notify Fort Smith if additional assistance is needed.”
Griffin said there are a total of five firefighters on staff, and they do not plan to hire any additional staff members once the new station is built.
The funds from the FAA will pay for 90 percent of the three-bay fire station. Griffin said the rest of the money will be paid through airport funds.