Two New State-of-the Art Firetrucks Enhance Safety At Princess Juliana International Airport
[Simpson Bay, August 11, 2023] - Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) is proud to announce the arrival of two cutting-edge firetrucks, significantly bolstering the airport's firefighting capabilities and further enhancing the safety and security of its passengers and operations. The acquisition of these state-of-the-art firetrucks represents a significant milestone in the continuous efforts of SXM Airport to maintain the highest standards of safety and emergency response preparedness. Equipped with the latest firefighting technology and advanced features, these vehicles will play an essential role in safeguarding the airport and its visitors against potential fire- related hazards.
Key features of the Rosenbauer Panther 6x6 which will help enhance the safety and response efforts of the airport’s Rescue & Fire Fighting team include Advanced Fire Suppression Systems, equipping the fire truck with efficient systems to control and extinguish various types of fires effectively, Rapid Response Capabilities providing the ability to swiftly reach any location within the airport premises to ensure rapid responses to emergencies, Enhanced Rescue Equipment outfitting the firetrucks with cutting-edge rescue tools and equipment, empowering firefighting personnel to handle diverse emergency situations with effectiveness. Other key features are the High-Capacity Water and Foam Tanks which enable extended firefighting operations without interruption and Modern Communication Systems integrating state-of-the-art communication systems to facilitate seamless coordination between the fire department and other airport emergency services during crises.
The acquisition of these firetrucks is part of SXM Airport's ongoing commitment to enhancing operational safety and emergency response capabilities. The airport management expresses their gratitude to all stakeholders, including the local government and airport partners, for their support in making this significant upgrade possible.
"We are thrilled to welcome these two new firetrucks to our fleet," said Fire Chief Mr. Manilo Penijn, head of the Rescue and Fire Fighting department of Princess Juliana International Airport. "Safety is our utmost priority at SXM Airport, and these state-of-the-art vehicles will play a crucial role in ensuring the well-being of our passengers, staff, and the entire airport community. With the enhanced capabilities of these firetrucks, we are better equipped to handle any potential emergency situations effectively."
About Princess Juliana International Airport Princess Juliana International Airport is the second busiest airport in the Northeast Caribbean. It is the most important airport hub for Saba, St Eustatius, St Barthelemy, Anguilla, Dominica, Nevis, and Tortola. The airport is one of the largest employers on the island. It has 277 workers and 1700 workers within the entire airport community. In 2023 the Sint Maarten airport expects to handle 1.5 million passengers and 54.000 aircraft movements. The reconstruction works of the airport started in September 2021. The new departure hall will be ready in 2023. Contractor Ballast Nedam International Projects is actively seeking cooperation with local people and companies which is essential for socio-economic recovery of Sint Maarten. Click here to see the impression of the new departure hall.
Historic Timeline Princess Juliana Airport was officially opened by Princess Juliana in 1944. In 2006 her Majesty Queen Beatrix inaugurated the new terminal building. In 2017 the airport was hit by Hurricane Irma (Cat 5) In January 2020 Princess Juliana International Airport signed the WorldBank/EIB loan to reconstruct the terminal. In July 2021 Ballast Nedam International Project signed the contract to start the reconstruction.
