WREX TV in Rockford has an article about the Rockford Airport board outsourcing the jobs of firefighters instead of renewing a contract with the City of Rockford Fire Department.
Chicago-Rockford International Airport board members vote unanimously to outsource on-field fire protection at RFD.
“I think the City got a little greedy perhaps about what they were charging us.” -says airport Executive Director Mike Dunn.
The city’s charge was about $1.2 million a year. RFD’s total budget for the year is $8 million. The company airport administrators picked is based in Green Bay, Wisconsin and should cost RFD around $600,000 a year. The airport’s executive director says service and safety won’t suffer.
“We own the building. We own the trucks. We own the equipment that firefighters use. We paid for the education. All the city was providing us was the manpower.” -Dunn explains.
Rockford Fire Department Fire Chief Derek Bergsten says, “It would have been nice to kind of sit down, have those discussions, find out what the issue was, if there was something we could do to remedy it. As firefighters it’s our instinct to try and solve problems, work out solutions, so, that’s probably the only part on my side that I would have liked to have the opportunity for that.”
Chief Bergsten says he learned less than two days ago the airport planned to terminate its contract with the city.
#1 by Mike Mc on September 3, 2013 - 3:44 PM
If the city privatizes Midway, the big question will be if the feds contiune to fund ARFF. If not, they will probably go with a private conractor. It won’t happen right away, but within a few years. Does anyone know if Engine 127’s house belongs to the city or the department of aviation? The house itself may be part of the sales package.
#2 by Dennis Saam on September 3, 2013 - 2:35 PM
Some history of Chicago-Rockford International Airport. When Rockford’s Camp Grant Army base closed after World War 2, the Greater Rockford Airport Authority was formed to use the military airfield. Fire fighting was provided by the Airport Auhority with personnel support from the maintenance and ground’s crew. A lot of the apparatus were built in the Airport maintence facility using surplus militery equipment. In the late 60’s, or early 70’s Rockford entered an agreement with the Airport and Station 7 was built. Rockford Firefighters manned the Airport Equipment, plus ran Engine 7 from the falcon road side of the station.
Then there was a problem between the two entities and Rockford moved Engine 7 to the Sawyer road location, and The Greater Rockford Airport started their own Public Safety Department. This was a joint Police, security, and fire suppression venture. Then the airport entered back into an agreement with the city of Rockford, station 7 was moved back to the airport, and the Sawyer road station became the vehicle maintenance facility for the city fire dept. The Greater Rockford Airport became Chicago-Rockford International Airport. Now were back to kicking out the City of Rockford again? Rockford probably has a high contract rate because of personnel and benefits. You can bet that contract firefighters won’t be IAFF members, and as a result the benefits package will be less, so a contract provider can bid less for services.
It is all about the money. It is typical Rockford Politics.
#3 by chris on September 3, 2013 - 2:20 PM
maybe rham will use these guys at midway when the city leases it out
#4 by o. morgan on September 3, 2013 - 12:06 PM
Some questions: Rockford station 7 is home for not only ARFF (driver engineer and FF) but also city Quint company seven (officer and three FF). The airport owns ARFF, buildings, pays for training and equip. Where will Q7 end up? Sawyer Rd maint building is a closed fire house North of bypass 20. If Q7 moves in there response times to airport incidents will increase dramatically. With the big increases Chicago International at Rockford is experiencing in both cargo and passenger, not a good thing. Also several reserve apparatus stored at Station 7.
#5 by MABAS 21 on May 31, 2015 - 5:23 PM
Does anyone have any knowledge of what came about this? Did Rockford reopen old station #7 or did they shuffle companies around?
#6 by 0.02 on September 3, 2013 - 10:24 AM
thanks mike. that makes more sense now.
#7 by Mike on September 3, 2013 - 7:10 AM
@ 0.02, it says RFD’s budget is $8 million. That refers to the airport, not the fire department.
#8 by 0.02 on September 2, 2013 - 11:04 PM
Rockford fire’s budget is not 8 million. The cost of personnel is almost 20 million. Before stories like this get printed they should probably do more fact finding.
#9 by Drew Smith on September 2, 2013 - 10:46 PM
This is the third change to how ARFFNis provided there. In the late 1990s the airport had public safety offices who performed police work and ARFF. Structural and ALS transport were not provided but these PSOs. Then the city began to service the airport. Now they are turning to a contractor. I am assuming it is Pro Tech http://www.protecfire.com/index.php.
#10 by Jeff on September 2, 2013 - 7:42 PM
It will be interesting to see how EMS response and mutual aid response will be from the City. Shame on the Airport Board not to sit down to discuss the situation.