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WENDOVER — The Federal Aviation Association wants smaller airports across the country to replace outdated emergency equipment in case of a tragedy. That even includes airports which don't get a lot of commercial traffic, like the Wendover Airport.
To make these upgrades possible the FAA provides grant money, but the airport has to match some of that money to receive the entire grant.
In Wendover, airport managers needed a new up-to-date fire truck. Because of budget woes in Tooele County, where the airport resides, managers weren't sure how they would pay it. That was, until some local businesses stepped up to help.
Right now, Wendover Airport only has one flight in and out every day, but more flights are being talked about — five years ago there were none.
"We've gone from zero to 60,000 passengers a year in that period of time," said airport manager Jim Petersen.
That's why when $50,000 was needed as part of the FAA's grant, casinos in town wanted to help. They knew Tooele County didn't have the money.
"Wendover, Utah, Wendover, Nevada — we're all one community," said John Spillman, director of advertising and marketing for Peppermill Resorts.
The airport's brand new, $500,000 fire truck arrived two weeks ago, and Petersen couldn't be happier about it.
"This thing is the cat's meow," he said. "It's got more buttons and switches in there than you know what to do with."
Fortunately, airport firefighter Klansey Bateman knows exactly what to do with them.
"It's got the dry chemicals on it, (because) we need to fight the fires like fuel fires," Bateman said. "It's got foam on it to suppress the flames for rescue if that ever becomes an issue."
Of course, workers at the airport hope all the training and all the knowledge they're getting with the new piece of equipment is something they will never have to actually use, but accidents do happen at the small airport.
In 2011, four men died when their small plane crashed at the airport. Although the new truck wouldn't have made a difference in that case, you never know when it might.
"This truck is a very critical piece of equipment for the airport," Bateman said.
Airport managers and firefighter are especially grateful for the new truck, considering their old was was nearly two decades old.
