In the spring of 2015 Burns and McDonnell completed a facility needs analysis relating to the potential renovation and addition of the living quarters at the current ARFF facility at GMIA. The purpose of the analysis was to determine the scope and cost of facility improvements required to meet the proposed staff increase and bring the facility up to current standards as outlined in FAA Advisory Circular 150/5210-15A Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) Station Building Design.
The General Mitchell ARFF Facility is a comprehensive renovation and addition to the existing station at Milwaukee’s General Mitchell Airport. The facility has not seen a significant upgrade since 1974 despite major changes to the profession and approach to servicing airports. The primary goals for the ARFF facility expansion and upgrade are to bring the building up to current FAA standards, consolidate staff from multiple facilities, relocate the exercise facilities to the first floor to make them accessible, update the living quarters to meet current Milwaukee County code and life-safety requirements, and modernize the facility. Unique features include the reuse of existing infrastructure to minimize cost, advanced staging techniques to keep the station fully operational through its renovation, managing a highly secure site, coordinating with airport infrastructure, and upgrading an existing structure to meet enhanced acoustical targets on a heavily used jetway.
The primary goals for the ARFF facility expansion and upgrade is to bring the building up to current FAA standards, provide additional office space for ARFF management being relocated from another facility, relocate the exercise facilities to the first floor to make them accessible, return the mezzanine to storage, update the living quarters to meet current Milwaukee County code and life-safety requirements, and modernize the facility.