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Decisions On Airport Station Remain

Posted on: Wednesday, 30 November 2005, 18:00 CST

By M.K. Guetersloh, The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Ill.

Nov. 30--BLOOMINGTON -- A new fire station closer to Central Illinois Regional Airport could come at the expense of a station in Bloomington's growing southeast side.

It also could replace Station 3, which is located on Empire Street near the former airport terminal.

Or it might not.

"Nothing is set in granite, yet," said Fire Chief Keith Ranney.

What is certain, however, is that the federal government would pay the bulk of the $6.14 million cost of the new station, with just under $300,000 coming from the Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority and another $30,000 from the state.

A station is needed near Central Illinois Regional Airport because of a planned runway extension and an expected federal rule change that says firefighters must be able to reach the end of the furthest runway in a given period of time.

Firefighters at the station would be the first to respond to calls from the airport.

"Where it should go, how much it will cost and how it will be designed are still ideas being discussed," said Paul Harmon, chairman of the airport authority.

The airport authority started talking about the fire station when it released its five-year spending plan earlier this month.

"We need to improve our response time," Ranney said. "A station located closer to the airport's control tower is a likely location to meet those requirements."

Firefighters responding from Station 3 must be able to reach the mid-point of the furthest runway in less than 3 minutes and 15 seconds.

Firefighters meet that response time now, Ranney said, but new rules could be changed to require firefighters to reach the end of the furthest runway in the same time.

Ranney said the current location of Station 3 is strategic for responding to calls on the city's east side. He said it is possible Station 3 could remain open along with the new airport station.

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Copyright (c) 2005, The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Ill.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Ill.

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