Airport Welcomes State-of-the-Art Firefighting Truck

Airport Authority & Charlotte County Welcome New ARFF Truck

PUNTA GORDA, FL (June 17, 2026) - Today, the Charlotte County Airport Authority (Airport Authority) and Charlotte County Fire & EMS officially welcomed a new specialized Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) apparatus, designated A-71, during a push-in ceremony at Station 7.

This brief ceremony honored a historic tradition when firefighters would physically push a new apparatus into the station before preparing it for service. The ceremony was led by Matthew McElroy, Fire Chief & Public Safety Director, and was attended by elected officials from the Airport Authority and Charlotte County Commission.

The new vehicle was purchased by the Airport Authority with 90% funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and was manufactured by the Rosenbauer Group in Minnesota. Rosenbauer, one of the world's leading manufacturers of firefighting vehicles with state-of-the-art extinguishing technology, precisely tailored the vehicle to offer maximum safety and operational readiness under extreme conditions.

This new vehicle replaces an older truck purchased in 2008 that had reached the end of its useful life. Through an interlocal agreement, Charlotte County provides ARFF services at PGD, which is necessary at airports to provide specialized, immediate life-saving response to aircraft incidents. The new vehicle uses an environmentally friendly F3 foam system, which is replacing an older type of foam being phased out on a national level.

The partnership between Charlotte County and the Airport Authority goes beyond providing FAA-mandated ARFF services, it's the cornerstone of a unified safety network that ensures PGD remains prepared, resilient, and ready to serve every traveler who passes through.

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