WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes a $79,500 civil penalty against the King Salmon Airport in King Salmon, Alaska, for allegedly violating federal aircraft rescue and firefighting regulations.

Between Aug. 27 and Aug. 29, 2019, FAA inspectors performed a periodic inspection of the state-operated airport to determine its compliance with federal regulations. During that inspection, the inspectors found that one of the airport’s employees had not participated in a live fire-training course for more than a year. That employee was on firefighting standby for three flights in April 2019 when his training was not current, the FAA alleges.

Federal regulations require that airports such as King Salmon ensure all of their rescue and firefighting personnel participate in at least one live-fire drill before performing initial rescue and firefighting duties and one drill annually thereafter.

King Salmon Airport has 30 days after receiving the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.