DEAR WAYNEDALE READERS,
On Wednesday, August 18, members of our fire, police and emergency service providers were called into action for an incident that closed Fort Wayne International Airport. While most people were still sleeping, these first responders were making decisions to ensure the safety of our community. Ten hours later, the airport reopened, and life returned to normal with a sigh of relief that a major catastrophe had been averted.
As public officials continue the process of debriefing, I want to take a few moments to thank some private citizens for their responses to this incident. Since the airport was completely shut down, airport personnel and emergency workers had to set up a command center elsewhere. Thanks to Mercury Air Center for allowing their conference room and facilities to be used by our first responders. Thanks to Fort Wayne Airport Authority and Arby’s Restaurants for sandwiches, fries and coffee for the command center.
Thanks goes out to Ellison Bakery for allowing the media to set up remote trucks in their driveway, and stream cables and lights across their lawns. Thanks for the Archway cookies that you brought out still warm from your ovens.
Thanks to Leepoxy Plastics, Prentice Products, United Armored Services, Airport Days Inn, Labeca/Fort Wayne Metals, International Paper, Alconex, and all of the businesses along Ferguson Road for allowing diverted passengers to park along the roadway as they waited for the airport to reopen. And thanks to the employees of these businesses and delivery truck drivers that patiently waited to get into or out of their parking lots.
Thanks to the hospitality of everyone who helped make out-of-towners as comfortable as possible under the circumstances. But most of all, I want to thank our citizens and visitors for understanding that the public safety of our community was the utmost concern for all of our first responders and public officials. Making the City of Fort Wayne the safest city of its size in the nation has been a top commitment of my administration. I will continue to work to make sure that our first responders have the training, supplies, and communications that they need to keep from us all from harm.
Sincerely,
Mayor Graham Richard
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