Published: March 26, 2008 09:57 pm            

Airport fire protection training about to start

TERRE HAUTE — Airport volunteers and members of the Terre Haute Fire Department will begin fire protection training for the airport Monday.

Training will run through April 4 and take place at the Terre Haute International Airport-Hulman Field and the Terre Haute Fire Department on Fruitridge Avenue, except for April 4 when it is in Cincinnati, according to Tom Long, airport director.

As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, the Indiana Air National Guard’s fire protection will end. Members of the Terre Haute Airport Authority Board voted two weeks ago to hire WAMBI, a Kentucky-based company, to come to the airport and train personnel as well as city firefighters for $3,500.

About eight airport employees volunteered for the training. The city will be sending 17 firefighters to the training, according to Chief Jeff Fisher.

Federal Aviation Administration representatives will be at the airport April 8 to conduct a surveillance. FAA regulations require no longer than a three-minute response time to get to the middle of the airport’s longest runway.

With the closest city fire station on Fruitridge Avenue and some railroad tracks between that station and the airport, there could be issues.

Long said he hopes the airport and city can make an arrangement in which at least one city firefighter can be at the airport station between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Those are the hours the station will be in operation as they get started, he said, and later they’ll be on call.

He said regulations also require at least one emergency medical services person be at each scene, for which Fisher said they will try to work out details.

In other airport news, members of the board approved an agreement with Indiana American Water to take over the waterline on the west side of the airport.

Crystal Garcia can be reached at (812) 231-4271 or crystal.garcia@tribstar.com.

        

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