Jun. 20—TRAVERSE CITY — Firefighters from a company specializing in airport services could start at Cherry Capital Airport by late summer.
Airport Director Kevin Klein said airport leadership and Pro-Tec Fire Services are in talks for the company to provide aircraft rescue and firefighting services once Traverse City Fire Department's contract ends. That'll come later than originally announced, after the fire department agreed to stay on through mid-August.
"Their contract expires June 30. However, since we have been in negotiations for pretty much nine months and had almost completed negotiations when they realized their staff problems, they decided to honor their current contract for 90 days from the date of notice, which was May 16," Klein said.
Traverse City Fire Department opted not to continue its contract to provide a firefighter at the airport in light of its own staffing issues, as previously reported. It also came as the airport sought to add another firefighter so it could reach a higher level of coverage the Federal Aviation Administration requires for larger planes.
Klein said he sympathized with the decision and was grateful for the services the city fire department has provided over the years. The department will still respond to emergencies once its agreement is up.
By Aug. 14, the airport should have a deal with Pro-Tec Fire Services to staff firefighters at the airport full-time, Klein said. He said he's hoping the company and airport authority can work out a roughly one-year contract for rates similar to what the airport was paying Traverse City.
That agreement could lead to a longer-term deal with the Appleton, Wisconsin-based company, or to the airport contracting with another publicly owned fire department, Klein said. Chief among the possibilities would be Grand Traverse Metro Fire Department.
Providing aircraft rescue and firefighting services to Cherry Capital Airport would be a logical move for Grand Traverse Metro Fire, given the department's service area borders the airport on three sides, department Chief Pat Parker said. It's not the first time department and airport leaders have discussed the possibility, with such talks dating back at least 20 years.
Parker said the department turned down the airport's recent request to provide a second firefighter because it wasn't in the position to do so. Nor is it in a position to take over the service by mid-August.
Should airport governing body Northwest Regional Airport Authority issue a request for proposals, it's something Grand Traverse Metro Fire would bring to its own board, Parker said.