GILLETTE, Wyo. — After an intense summer fire season in Campbell County, grants to improve fire safety at the Gillette airport were approved by the Campbell County Commissioners in their Wednesday meeting.
Two separate meeting items related to the purchase of a new firetruck were presented by Shelly Besel, administrative coordinator for the Northeast Wyoming Regional Airport.
In her presentation, Besel explained the two motions, one focusing on a federal grant from the Federal Aviation Administration and the other related to using funding from the county that would cover over 90% of costs. The motions, approved unanimously, will work in tandem to fund the purchase of a firetruck and equipment to respond to fires at the airport and other aircraft emergencies.
Commissioner Jim Ford clarified further during the meeting for those watching the proceedings, “There’s two motions here before us. The first one is to approve the acquisition of the vehicle and limit the total spending amount. The second motion is to allocate the funding from the county in matching funds from your [airport] budget.”
The FAA grant will cover 93.75% of the vehicle cost, which comes to just over $1.1 million. State grants through WYDOT would cover another 3.75%, leaving just a 2.5% match left for local government.
Besel also brought Jeff Mooney, director of operations for the airport, to the board, describing him as the “subject matter expert” on the vehicle they would be purchasing. Replacing the current vehicle was necessary, Mooney explained, especially if the airport seeks to add commercial air service.
“We are required to provide aircraft rescue and firefighting to the commercial air carriers. … This truck meets those needs,” Mooney said. The truck has a 20-year maximum lifespan, and the FAA allows it to be used past that date as a secondary response vehicle, adding to the potential years of service.
The current fire vehicle at the airport would stay, though issues with the mechanics forced the airport to borrow a truck from Casper to remain operational, Mooney told commissioners, highlighting the need for upgraded equipment.
The grant application will also help cover the cost of associated equipment, such as radios and tools able to cut through the exterior of aircraft in an emergency. Both motions were approved by the board, with the 2.5% match required from the county costing just under $31,000.
That amount would be able to come out of budget money the airport allocates from passenger fees paid by airlines, meaning no new money would be spent. The use of the money merely needed the approval of the county.
According to meeting documents, the breakdown is as follows:
- Federal – 93.75%, or $1,155,606
- State – 3.75%, or $46,224
- Local – 2.5%, or $30,816
