AIRPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT ACQUIRES NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART TRUCK
FORT MYERS, Fla. (Jan. 14, 2008) - Jan. 8 marked the first day of service for Crash Apparatus 906 at Southwest Florida International Airport. The Lee County Port Authority's Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting department will use this truck to respond to on-site airport emergencies as well as hazardous material spills.
906 holds 3,000 gallons of water, 420 gallons of foam and 500 pounds of Halotron, a clean fire extinguishing agent. The pump flows 1,950 gallons of water per minute and is able to deliver water and foam to the emergency site through three different sources - a low attack bumper turret, a roof turret and a hand line. The truck has the ability to "pump and roll," which means it can dispense water or foam and be driven at the same time. 906 weighs 81,000 pounds and can reach speeds of 73 mph, accelerating from 0 to 50 mph in 26 seconds. It is also equipped with a Forward-Looking InfraRed (FLIR) system, controlled by an operator inside the truck, which enables the driver to scan and locate any hot spots or fires.
"Safety is the number one priority and responsibility of airport employees at Southwest Florida International Airport," said Robert M. Ball, A.A.E., executive director of the Lee County Port Authority. "This new, technologically-advanced crash truck will help improve the way our fire department handles airport emergencies."
The total cost for this new fire vehicle was $772,368. The Lee County Port Authority was able to secure funding for over 85 percent of the cost through grants from the Federal Aviation Administration and Florida Department of Transportation.
Southwest Florida International Airport served more than 7.6 million passengers during 2006 and ranks among the top 50 busiest airports in the United States. No ad valorem (property) taxes are used for airport operation or construction.
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PR 08-02 Contact: Victoria B. Moreland Department Director/Public Relations (239) 590-4504
