EGLIN AFB — Okaloosa County and the Federal Aviation Administration are building an Eglin Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting station on military land south of Northwest Florida Regional Airport’s terminal.
The station is expected to cost $3 million, which mostly comes from a $2.74 million FAA grant. The county will contribute $154,836 generated by passenger facility charges at the airport; the state Department of Transportation will provide $150,000.
County Airports Director Sunil Harman, who said the new station — to be south of Northwest Florida Regional’s terminal complex at the apex of the two runways on Eglin — will serve the airport and base’s needs. The station will be manned by ARFF-certified airmen trained to respond to aircraft emergencies.
The project’s design phase is complete. Construction could start as soon as February 2014 and wrap up in the late fall.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: New fire station to serve Northwest Florida airport and Eglin