Chippewa Valley Regional Airport Getting Federal Funds to Replace Fire, Rescue Building

Jan. 31—EAU CLAIRE — Chippewa Valley Regional Airport is getting federal funding to replace its building used to house aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles.

The existing small red brick building, which is located between the main terminal and Hawthorne Aviation, is too small for new models of aviation rescue and firefighting vehicles, according to Airport Manager Charity Zich. The current building also only has one apparatus bay even though the airport has two of the emergency vehicles.

On Monday, a $3.16 million federal grant was announced to pay for a new two-vehicle apparatus bay next to the existing small building. A second federal grant the airport is anticipating this year would pay for a small office building to be added to the new apparatus bay. The old building, which was erected in the early 1980s, would be demolished.

The total expected cost of replacing the airport's aircraft rescue and firefighting building is $4.5 million. The majority is from federal funds and the airport is chipping in about $80,000 from its own budget, Zich said.

Construction is expected to happen in two phases. The new apparatus bay is scheduled to be built this spring. The office building would follow later this year or spring 2023, depending on when funding for it is received, Zich said.

U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D- La Crosse, touted the initial $3.16 million coming to Eau Claire in a news release on Monday.

"This funding will help the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport make necessary infrastructure upgrades and continue to provide all visitors with a safe and successful travel experience," Kind stated.

The larger building is being made as the airport is preparing to replace a rescue and firefighting vehicle that is about 20 years old. Newer models of those vehicles are larger in size, Zich said, and will not fit into the current building.

" The Chippewa Valley Regional Airport is grateful to our Wisconsin Congressional delegation, including Congressman Kind, for helping to ensure airports receive the necessary financial support to replace our aging infrastructure," Zich said in the news release. "Appropriate facilities to house emergency equipment and responders is critical to ensuring CVRA continues to meet federal requirements for hosting airline operations."

The federal grant announced comes from funding provided by the federal Appropriations Act of 2020 and the CARES Act.

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