15-05-2025
New rescue facility at Ford Airport complete
CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — A new $14.5 million building to house emergency response crews at Gerald R. Ford International Airport is finished, the airport says.
The Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting building is 25,000 square feet has large bays to facilitate the airport's firefighting vehicles and more space for training and storing equipment.
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on the ARFF in August 2023. It's next to the Airport Operations Center so crews can easily communicate in the event of an emergency.
'As the Airport continues to grow and serve more travelers, we strive to maintain the highest level of safety and operations for our community,' Airport Authority Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Alex Peric said in a Wednesday statement. 'This significant investment will further support our efforts to respond swiftly and efficiently to any emergency situation that may arise, and we are grateful to our team and partners for making this possible.'
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A number of improvements are underway at the airport, which saw a record-breaking 4.17 million passengers in 2024. Crews are building a consolidated car rental facility and working on the terminal enhancement project, which will relocate ticket counters. The air traffic control tower is set to be relocated and a new parking garage is set to be built.
The money for the ARFF came from state and federal grants, plus airport dollars.
—News 8's Madalyn Buursma contributed to this report.
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