ROGERS -- Aldermen approved buying a $600,000 aviation four-wheel drive fire engine for the Rogers Municipal Airport to replace a 25-year-old vehicle.
There have been more than a few improvements made to aviation fire engines over the past 25 years, said Tom Jenkins, Rogers fire chief.
At A Glance
Council Action
Rogers’ City Council met Tuesday and approved:
• Declaring property at Veterans Park as surplus. The property is scheduled to be sold to Nicole Holzkamper.
• A $582,052 contract with General Construction Solutions for the construction of the northern loop trail from Promenade Boulevard to Oak Street.
• Spending $4,200 to repair an uninterruptible power supply at the Police Department.
• Adopted a new city policy manual.
• Rezoning 11.6 acres south of Shores Avenue and west of Mount Hebron Road from residential single-family to agricultural.
Source: Staff Report
The airport fire truck was a gift from the Little Rock airport about eight years ago, Jenkins said.
"The vehicle was 17 years old when we got it. It has a lot of mechanical problems, and it leaks. The unit is down for repairs too often and is just not reliable," the fire chief added.
"Unlike a fire engine used for a structure fire, an aviation fire engine has to be able to spray water or chemicals while moving, so it can't use the engine motor to run the pumps. The new engine will carry 1,500 gallons of water, 200 gallons of foam and 500 gallons of potassium chloride that acts like a fire extinguisher on steroids," Jenkins said.
It will take a year for Rosenbauer Fire Apparatus to build the fire engine, Jenkins added. The vehicle will be assigned to Fire Station No. 3 at the airport. The crews stationed at the airport must have additional training and certification to fight aircraft fires.
The airport has about 10-12 alerts a year, Jenkins said.
"When a pilot radios that he is having a problem the airport fire station engine is stationed near the runway in case there is a fire or a fuel spill from a less-than-perfect landing," the fire chief said.
"Getting a new fire engine for the airport has been one my goals for the past few years. I think we finally accomplished that goal," Jenkins said.
The airport is a general aviation airport, as opposed to a commercial airport such as Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. However, because Walmart bases it aviation department at Rogers there's a lot of passenger traffic and cargo, said David Krutsch, airport manager.
"We have from 75,000 to 100,000 passengers a year through the airport. This new fire engine will be a dramatic improvement in our capabilities as we market our airport," Krutsch said.
Ray Dobbs, Airport Commission chairman, said the new truck will mean a great deal to the growth of the airport.
"We have a marketing plan we will be implementing next year. We want to make the best place to land and refuel. Having a new aviation fire engine will help us. We will be one of the only general aviation airports with this specialized equipment," Dobbs said.
The fire engine will increase safety at the airport and lower risk for aircraft using the airport, Krutsch added. Many of the aircraft landing in Rogers are jets, and jet fuel is basically purified kerosene, Krutsch said.
"Jet fuel has a higher flash point than gasoline, but it burns much hotter," Krutsch said.
The foam used in the fire engine kills the flames faster and lowers the amount of fumes, which are dangerous to breathe, from spreading, Jenkins said.
Walmart donated $300,000 toward buying the fire engine; the remaining $300,000 came from the city general fund reserve, city officials said.
NW News on 12/10/2014