CONGRESSWOMAN JOHNSON ANNOUNCES $14 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDS FOR DFW

Dallas, TX – (Monday, September 20, 2010) - Congresswoman Johnson today welcomed news that the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is receiving $14 million in grant funds from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for phase two of the rehabilitation and construction of its Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) Training Facility. The $14 million is in addition to the $3 million awarded in August for phase one and will be used towards furthering improvements of ARFF.

“I’m glad that DFW is receiving funds to continue with this important project,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “The on-the-ground training provided at the DFW Fire Training Academy not only prepares local, regional, and nationwide emergency response personnel, but has also trained emergency workers from as far away as Latin America and Europe. We are privileged to have such an outstanding facility in North Texas.”

The rehabilitation of ARFF is required to extend the useful life of the facility. The grant will also enable DFW to continue to meet the federal regulations required for training aircraft rescue and firefighting personnel.

“This grant is an important step in moving the project forward, and it’s great news, not only for DFW, but also for airport firefighters and responders around the world,” said Jeff Fegan, DFW Airport CEO.  “More than fifteen thousand airport firefighters from 29 states and 23 countries have trained at the DFW fire training facility over the past 15 years, so it is vital to the aviation community as a whole that we maintain this important resource.”

 
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U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson is the highest-ranking Texan on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and a senior member of the Science Committee. She represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas, which, includes Downtown Dallas, Fair Park, Oak Lawn, Turtle Creek, Old East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, & South Oak Cliff; all of Balch Springs, DeSoto, Hutchins, Lancaster & Wilmer and parts of Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Ferris, Glenn Heights and Ovilla.