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Nevada County airport manager says local airfield is critical for CAL FIRE, medevac and emergency staging
Summary
Kevin Edwards, manager of Nevada County Airport, said small general aviation airports support CAL FIRE operations, medevac and other emergency response needs and urged the public not to underestimate their community role.
Kevin Edwards, manager at Nevada County Airport, said the county airfield plays a vital role in supporting CAL FIRE and other emergency operations and urged residents to recognize the broader community uses of small general aviation airports.
Edwards said his work at the airport enables firefighting and emergency response by providing fuel, staging and other services. “Through us, just as small as providing the fuel, if it wasn't for us, they couldn't, they'd be operating somewhere else,” Edwards said in remarks recorded in the meeting transcript.
Edwards described his background to explain his perspective: he has worked on airplanes since age 13, served in Naval aviation for 20 years after graduating high school in 1990, and has been with Nevada County for nine years, including two years as the veteran service officer and seven years as airport manager. “It's just a passion,” he said. “Being in this position now where, you know, at the Nevada County Airport and being part of, what we do in support of CAL FIRE, just takes it to a whole nother level.”
He listed typical uses of general aviation airports beyond recreation, saying they support rescue missions, medevacs, helicopter operations and staging for large catastrophic events. “Airports are perfect for these. So don't underestimate small general aviation airports. They're not just for people with airplanes to recreate. They're for the entire community,” Edwards said.
Edwards also framed aircraft maintenance and troubleshooting as a technically demanding field, likening aircraft diagnosis to medical work: “If an airplane has an issue, trying to diagnose it and fix it is, it's challenging and rewarding when you can get it done. So it's just like being a doctor, but for airplanes.”
The remarks in the transcript were a presentation by the airport manager emphasizing operational and public-safety roles of Nevada County Airport. The transcript does not record any formal actions, votes or requests for new funding tied to these remarks.
