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Gerald R. Ford International Airport maintaining runways during blizzard

Gerald R. Ford International Airport logo
Gerald R. Ford International Airport
Gerald R. Ford International Airport

More than 20 flights were cancelled with a number of delays at Gerald R. International Airport. Field crews are working around the clock focused on keeping runways clear.

Alex Peric is Vice President and COO for Gerald R. International Airport, he tells us the airport plans and trains for severe weather events like this throughout the year.

“We’ve doubled our staffing to address this type of weather. We also have a lot of equipment on hand. That equipment is maintained throughout the year, $10-$12 million worth or snow removal equipment and it’s ready to go. You know, we had our first test right before Thanksgiving with around 26 inches of snow over three and a half days.”

The airport is home to three runways. Field crews maintain a snow clearing rotation. They close one of the three runways for clearing snow preserving operations with the other two airstrips.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.