Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN) has announced the completion of its new Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) facility, an event that coincides with the celebration of the airport’s 90th anniversary.
The AARF facility is the culmination of a multi-year plan to increase the capability of the airport’s on-site firefighting team while making way for future terminal improvements. A celebration and ribbon cutting will be held at 3:00 p.m. on November 19th at the new Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting facility.
In 2019, the airport received funding to build the airport’s first ever stand-alone firefighting facility through a supplemental development grant awarded by the FAA. As a commercial service airport, EWN is required to maintain the highest FAA standards for passenger and aircraft safety.
“With this new consolidated facility, ARFF operations and training will be optimized to increase the overall safety and efficiency for the traveling public as well as the firefighters themselves,” Airport Director, Andy Shorter stated.
The new facility has two equipment bays, and the airport will acquire a second ARFF truck to provide additional support for larger aircraft. There is also a large training room that will be a valuable enhancement for individual training and group training, as well as the execution of large-scale training exercises.
As an additional benefit to the community, this facility has all the amenities of any municipal fire station, making it well suited to act as community resource for natural disaster recovery operations or as a back-up local emergency operations center.
“It is fitting that during its 90th anniversary the airport is able to put into service a new and transformational facility that will not only increase the level of safety and training at the airport but will also provide a backstop for high level emergency situations throughout the region,” Shorter stated. “We have a proud history and are glad to usher in the beginning of our 10th decade with this new facility.”
On Nov. 21, 1931, what was then known as Simmons-Nott Airport was dedicated and has been committed to serving the community’s air travel needs ever since.
