The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded Cyril E. King Airport $15,485,255 to construct or expand its aircraft rescue and firefighting building. The St. Thomas award appears in the FAA's ninth fiscal 2026 Airport Infrastructure Grant announcement.
Aircraft rescue and firefighting teams are trained and equipped to respond to aircraft fires, crashes and other airport emergencies. A modern station can improve how quickly personnel and specialized vehicles reach an incident on the airfield.
The award is part of a $481.7 million FAA round covering airport infrastructure and safety projects nationwide. The federal record identifies the funded purpose and award amount, but does not name a construction contractor, state the project's full cost or provide a completion date.
The V.I. Port Authority has previously advanced design, permitting and temporary-facility work for a replacement fire station. The new federal grant is a major construction-stage commitment, but travelers should not interpret the award as a finished facility or a change to current airport operations.
VIPA should publish a project page with the final scope, total budget, local match, procurement milestones, temporary-station plan and expected completion date, then update it as contracts are awarded and construction advances.
Source published Fiscal Year 2026 Airport Infrastructure Grant Announcement 9. Read the original reporting or release for the complete record.
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