BLOOMINGTON - The community leaders and gold-plated shovels were lined up, ready for the groundbreaking of a new fire station at Central Illinois Regional Airport.

But a winter storm kept the ceremony inside the airport terminal.

"We are about a couple of days late for this," said airport Executive Director Carl Olson.

The city of Bloomington's new fire station - Station 6 - will be built next to the airport's control tower and will be completed in the fall of 2009.

Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority Chairman Paul Harmon said the station's location will improve fire department response times to the airport by cutting the distance from about 2.8 miles to 1,000 feet. The Federal Aviation Administration requires a maximum response time of three minutes to the primary runway.

The city's Station 3 has been the primary responder to the airport for about 35 years. But the distance between the station and CIRA changed when the terminal and runways were moved in 2001.

The FAA is funding $4.8 million of the new fire station's $6.1 million cost and the remaining $1.3 million will be paid by the airport authority.

Harmon said the project has been an example of cooperation on all levels of government and noted the city, state and federal officials who attended the ceremony including state Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete, and Ward 8 Alderman John Hanson.

"Many levels of government have come together to make this happen and it is in the best interest of the community that we begin construction on the new facility," Harmon said. He also complimented U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Urbana, for their efforts in securing the federal funding for the station.

The city of Bloomington will operate Station 3 and Station 6, said Fire Chief Keith Ranney. He added that the new station not only will be available to respond to airport emergencies but will cover fire and accident calls for the city's east side.