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Airport Station Set for Firefighters

Posted on: Tuesday, 20 June 2006, 12:00 CDT

By Nathan Isaacs, Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, Wash.

Jun. 20--Pasco firefighters are expected to soon begin moving into their new fire station at the Tri-Cities Airport.

The 11,500-square-foot station replaces the current building, built in 1969, and will be torn down.

The Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting station is owned by the Port of Pasco, but under a long-term contract with the city also serves as one of Pasco's three fire stations. The firefighters, employed by Pasco, also are trained and certified to handle airport emergencies.

The Federal Aviation Administration awarded the port a $2.3 million grant for the $3.7 million project. The port and city split the remaining costs.

"It's a good partnership between us and the city," said Jim Morasch, airport manager.

Construction began on the project in August. Morasch said crews are finishing up.

Firefighters plan to move in Monday, said Pasco Fire Chief Greg Garcia.

He said five to six firefighters work at the current airport station, which like other fire stations is staffed 24 hours a day. At least one firefighter remains at the station all day in case of airport emergencies.

Garcia said the partnership between the city and port goes back to 1992. He said the station is important because firefighters there are the backup to the city's other two stations, one on Oregon Avenue and the other on Road 68.

The department has about 50 firefighters, including the chief and assistant chief.

The airport fire station has a ladder truck, ambulance and a rescue truck, Garcia said. He said it also has two rigs used for airport emergencies. All that will be kept in the new station's six truck bays.

The new station is about 100 yards or so west of the existing station. With the move, fire trucks will use the new road inside the Tri-Cities Airport Business Center business park to access Argent Road.

Also, the new access avoids future problems should the FAA put back in place security restrictions that had firefighters driving the wrong way on a one-way street to reach the station.

The current station will be torn down, with a security fence going across where it once stood, Morasch said.

Eventually, the airport may extend beyond Terminal Drive to make room for more parking.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, Wash.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: Tri-City Herald

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