Airport Commission Approves Fire Protection Contract

Aug. 27--The Fort Smith Airport Commission approved a two-year, $509,000 contract with Pro-Tec Fire Services for fire and rescue protection Tuesday night, but is still in the process of securing two fire trucks from the National Guard Bureau.

Following the change in mission for the 188th Wing to a space-based targeting operation and the impending loss of a military joint-use agreement for airport fire protection, airport staff and the commission have planned for months on the eventuality. A special meeting was held Aug. 12 with an agreement to enter negotiations with Pro-Tec, a Green Bay, Wis.-based company with 19 private contracts at airports around the country.

The Pro-Tec contract is $251,000 the first year beginning Oct. 1 and $258,000 the second year. It covers 18 hours of commercial fire and rescue protection and one supervisory position who will advise administration on budgetary issues.

"The total cost for ARFF (Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting) also include operations costs associated with building and equipment, consumables and repairs," Airport Director John Parker told the commission. "We're not out of the expenditure side of things but that's what this particular contract involves."

If the airport cannot secure the fire trucks by Sept. 23 at the latest, Pro-Tec will provide fire trucks, the company's Corporate Fire Chief Bill Ewing said Aug. 12. FAA-approved fire trucks formerly used by the National Guard the cost for commercial service fire protection could increase approximately $200,000.

Michael Griffin, director of airport operations, drew up the contract which received the blessing of airport legal counsel Martin Mull and Pro-Tec staff.

"This is an element that the commission has not faced since the 1980s when we got out of ARFF business and allowed the National Guard to take that up, so it's a pretty high hill to go over, and I think Michael has done a good job," Parker added.

The 188th Fighter Wing at Ebbing Air National Guard Base officially became the 188th Wing and flew its last two jets out of the Fort Smith airport in early June.

In other business Tuesday, the commission renewed its insurance coverage with Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management of Fort Smith for a three-year period, approved a two-year lease proposal from Welch ATM for a machine that pays $115 per month rent and 10 percent of branding fees, and extended a hangar lease agreement with ArcBest Corporation.

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