Purdue airport landing new aircraft rescue and firefighting truck

Purdue University airport is the second busiest airport in the state.

So it's more important than ever to have the proper equipment to respond to accidents.

Crashes at purdue university's busy airport.

News 18's joe paul is live to tell us why the airport is buying a new emergency vehicle.

Purdue univerity airport is the second busiest airport in the state.

It saw nearly as many operations in august as indianapolis international airport.

So it's more important than ever to have the proper equipment to respond to accidents.

Nat pop purdue university's airport sees a constant stream of airplanes taking off... nat pop ...and coming in for landings.

Nat pop "incidents, they range in severity, um, sorry about that.

Wanted to make sure we didn't have one right there."

Airport director m baxmeyer says eight- to-ten incidents, including crashes, happen at the airport every year.

So a new aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle is needed to keep pilots and passengers safe.

"this fire truck is just an added measure of safety.

Hopefully we never have to use it, but if we do, it's here."

Purdue fire chief kevin ply says the current truck is 15 years old and doesn't see much mileage.

"it is a very unique piece of fire apparatus.

At 15-year mark, we're starting to see some mechanical issues, and that's why the recommendation by the faa is to start thinking about replacing it."

A federal grant of more than seven- hundred-thousand dollars will be used to replace the vehicle.

Ply says it's not your standard fire truck.

"it's designed that the driver can pull up and from inside the cab, they can operate the roof turret, the bumper turrets and put a large volume of foam-water solution or dry chemical agent on an aircraft incident."

The airport saw nearly thirteen-thousand operations in august.

Most of which were small aircraft piloted by students.

But the truck is also activated any time a large commercial flight takes off or lands.

Baxmeyer says that happens about 100 times a year.

"during the athletic season, for football games, we'll typically see 737s or airbus that can seat 150, 160 people."

Baxmeyer tells me purdue's aviation program has enrolled a record freshman class.

That means more students learning to fly than ever before.

Reporting in west lafayette, joe paul, news 18.

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