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| Funding For a New Aircraft Station at Kirtland Approved |
May 16, 2000 |
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New facility will also dramatically improve fire and rescue service to the Sunport
WASHINGTON, DC – The House has approved Congresswoman Heather Wilson’s request for funding to build a new Aircraft fire/crash/rescue station at Kirtland Air Force Base. Since the base also provides fire and rescue service for the Sunport as well, the new station will benefit the many New Mexicans that fly in and out of the Sunport each year. H.R. 4425, the Military Construction Appropriations Bill, was passed overwhelmingly by the House this afternoon by a vote of 386 to 22..
The existing Aircraft Crash/Fire/Rescue Station is located off the flightline and beyond the flightline security gate. In order for the crash/rescue teams to meet response time requirements for aircraft mishaps, they must remain on the flightline during all aircraft operations. If back up is required, vehicles must be routed through bottlenecks at the flightline security gate and other flightline structures to get to the aircraft runway. The House approved $7.35 million for construction of the new facility.
“This is great news for the base and the people of Albuquerque and New Mexico,” said Wilson. “This new facility will the safety of the thousands of civilians that use the Sunport and the pilots at Kirtland. From a public policy point of view, this is a great deal because we get two for the price of one. Although this bill must still be approved by the Senate before this is a done deal, inclusion of this request by the House increases the odds of success dramatically.”
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