Big Bear City Airport (L35) on the front line

After the 1992 Big Bear Earthquake the roads leading out of the Valley were impassable for a considerable length of time. It’s situations like this when the Big Bear City Airport becomes the Valley’s lifeline to the outside world.

“That would be our major service,” airport general manager Pete Gwaltney said. “Potentially this is the only way to serve the community with medical supplies and services. We would become a major source of supplies.”

Once staff reports after first checking on the safety of their families, the first steps are to inspect the terminal building, runway and taxiways, and to get the airport back in operation.

The terminal building could sustain damage, Gwaltney said. During the ’92 quake, the terminal building was red tagged and closed for nine months. “Our biggest concern is that would happen again,” Gwaltney said. “If the building was built to the standards of today, we’d feel more comfortable and not have one foot out the door.”

If the terminal building is not usable, staff could set up operations in a hangar or even on the tarmac. Ramps are equipped with electrical outlets. Data for the airport operations is stored off site as well as in the terminal for easy access.

If the runway is unusable then the helipads come into play. The helipads were upgraded in 2009 to meet the demands during a disaster. “We can accommodate heavy duty helicopters,” Gwaltney said.

The airport would become the hub for major medical evacuations as well as a staging area for wildfire fighting apparatus. “The Forest Service comes in and takes over the airport,” Gwaltney said. “And we become a huge heliport.”

During fire season, a Hot Shots crew is usually stationed at the airport. Ramps on the airport property have electrical capabilities. “We can run radios from our vans,” Gwaltney said.

During a blizzard, the airport is equipped with a large snow blower so the runway can be immediately cleared. Crews start clearing the runway and taxiways immediately and continue until the snow stops, Gwaltney said.

The airport has several backup generators, plenty of extra taxi and runway lights, as well as water. Gwaltney said the airport would rely on the Barnstorm Restaurant for food.

Gwaltney said the Airport District is a member of Mountain Mutual Aid and will dispatch a staff member to meetings if necessary. “We have a small staff so our first priority is to ensure the airport is open,” Gwaltney said.

The airport is also has a Point of Distribution trailer, or POD, utilized by the state Health Department in time of a health emergency. The Health Department would distribute medicine and vaccinations to the community during a disaster, Gwaltney said.

The Friends of the Disaster Center is located at the northeast corner of the airport to be used by Mountain Mutual Aid as a staging point.

To stay ready for an emergency, the airport staff conducts safety meetings on a quarterly basis. “Everybody is CPR qualified and certified on the defibrillator,” Gwaltney said.

The last inspection of the airport garnered a 100 percent rating. All taxiways, runways and lamps have been rehabbed in the last seven years. “We are well aware of our importance to the community,” Gwaltney said. “We make every effort to keep the airport open.”

Story and photos:  http://www.bigbeargrizzly.net