The Town of Southern Pines will provide aircraft rescue and firefighting coverage for commercial flights at Moore County Airport under an agreement unanimously approved by the Southern Pines Town Council on Tuesday.
Commercial passenger service between Moore County Airport and Dulles International Airport is expected to begin in late spring or early summer 2027. Initial service is expected to include one arriving and one departing flight each day, seven days a week.
The Moore County Airport Authority has secured a commitment from a regional airline to provide the scheduled service, and airport officials have also indicated that another airline could provide additional commercial service in the near future.
The agreement between the Town of Southern Pines and Moore County Airport Authority establishes the Southern Pines Fire Department’s role in providing aircraft rescue and firefighting, or ARFF, coverage during commercial passenger operations.
“Airport coverage will NOT be provided using on-duty fire department personnel assigned to normal emergency response operations,” Assistant Town Manager and Fire Chief Mike Cameron wrote in the official agenda presented to the council.
Instead, the department will reportedly use an extra-duty staffing model, with off-duty firefighters assigned to airport coverage.
Under Federal Aviation Administration requirements, a certified firefighter must be on-site and ready for duty at least 30 minutes before a scheduled commercial aircraft’s arrival and remain at the airport for at least 30 minutes after its departure.
Initially, the department will assign one certified firefighter to each arriving and departing commercial flight. The Southern Pines Fire Department estimates it will need about 12 certified firefighters to reliably staff the assignments and will maintain at least 12 certified firefighters for the program.
As such, the department has coordinated Airport Firefighter Certification training through Sandhills Community College, Stanly Community College, and the North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal. Three certification classes are scheduled later this year.
The airport will reimburse the town for overtime costs associated with training and certifying the initial 12 firefighters. It will also cover future FAA-required recertification, new certifications, and continuing education costs, including related employee salary, travel, and tuition expenses.
Cameron said the department also intends to require Airport Firefighter Certification for all department personnel. Because the airport is already within the fire department’s response area, the additional training will prepare firefighters to respond to aircraft emergencies on or near airport property.
The airport will pay the town $65 per hour for each firefighter providing ARFF coverage. The rate is based on a $45 hourly wage, associated benefits, and administrative costs. The Southern Pines Fire Department also may use qualified extra-duty firefighters from other departments when appropriate, provided they hold the required certifications.
The airport will be responsible for purchasing, maintaining, repairing, testing, and replacing ARFF vehicles, apparatus, tools, equipment, and supplies required for airport operations. Southern Pines Fire Department will provide technical guidance on equipment selection and other maintenance requirements.
The agreement also provides for changes if commercial flight activity grows beyond the capacity of the extra-duty staffing model. Either the town or airport authority may request that the agreement be renegotiated, with future options including full-time staffing or other arrangements needed to meet FAA requirements and operational needs.
The council’s approval follows a Sept. 9 meeting between Cameron and the Moore County Airport Authority to review the proposed agreement. According to Cameron, the agreement went through multiple versions involving Airport Executive Director Rick Cloutier, Southern Pines Town Attorney Mac McCarley, and Cameron.
The airport authority approved the agreement without requesting changes before it came before the town council, who unanimously approved the contract.
Photo by Sandhills Sentinel photographer Melissa Schaub.
Abegail Murphy | Assistant Editor
Written by Sandhills Sentinel assistant editor Abegail Murphy. Abegail has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2021.
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