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Local firefighters urge city to block privatization of airport firefighting after FAA probe; union warns of legal action
Summary
The Harlingen Professional Firefighters Association and local commenters told the commission they oppose the airport administration’s pursuit of privatized Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) services, saying the move could be illegal and noting an FAA inspection found the department’s training program otherwise sound.
Representatives of the Harlingen Professional Firefighters Association and other Harlingen residents used citizen comment time to tell commissioners they oppose any effort to contract out aircraft firefighting services at Valley International Airport and to urge the city to intervene if the airport executive board attempts privatization.
Evan Mann, president of the Harlingen Professional Firefighters Association, told the commission the union has provided the city attorney with a legal opinion from the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters arguing that privatization of the airport’s ARFF program would be illegal. He said the union prefers to avoid litigation, but “if the board votes to contract out firefighting services and the city council fails to intervene ... we will have no choice but to zealously pursue all legal avenues, including filing suit against the city.”
The union leader said the Harlingen ARFF program recently achieved a perfect score in the FAA annual inspection for five consecutive years and that the FAA’s inquiry into a documentation discrepancy found the issue to be isolated, not systemic. “Five years in a row, we've had a perfect score,” Mann said. “That's a big deal.”
Earlier in public comment, Dawn Leonard urged “accountability and transparency” after a reported FAA review tied to record-keeping at the airport. Leonard said she was concerned the airport’s agreement with the city for firefighting services had been placed at risk and called for the airport board and city manager to take action to protect public safety and the airport’s federal funding eligibility.
Commission context: Commissioners acknowledged the concerns and said they want clear information. Mayor Norma Sepulveda reminded the public that citizen communications are opinions and that staff would continue to work with the airport board and county and federal partners; the Cameron County district attorney’s office was identified in public remarks as reviewing the FAA report.
What this means: The comments do not represent a formal board action or decision. They do, however, notify the commission that the firefighter union opposes any privatization proposal and may pursue litigation if the airport board or airport administration proceeds without city involvement.
Ending: Commissioners encouraged dialogue between the airport board, the fire department and city legal staff, and asked staff to keep the commission updated if any formal airport board action to alter firefighting services is scheduled.
