South Bend, IN. – The St. Joseph County Airport Authority (SJCAA) Department of Public Safety will be conducting annual fire training required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with live burns on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 from approximately 8:00 a.m. until Noon at the live fire training facility on the northwest corner of the airfield at South Bend International Airport (SBN). The training will not impact flight operations.

Fire safety training is mandated by the FAA under FAR Part 139 for any entity specializing in Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF). Sixteen members make up the SJCAA safety department who will work together to put out the live fires.

“The FAA-required fire training with live burns is conducted annually to ensure our team is timely, effective, and proficient in putting out large flammable liquid fuel fires,” said SJCAA Department of Public Safety Chief Mike Ornat. “Safety is held to the highest standard across all sectors at the airport. Training procedures like this help our team stay equipped and alert for our traveling public.”
 
Media should arrive at 8:30 a.m. reporting to the east end of the terminal near the South Shore train to be escorted to the fires. Parking is available in the long-term parking lot and will be validated.
 
About South Bend International Airport
South Bend International Airport’s five air carriers provide nonstop flights to sixteen destinations: Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Orlando, Punta Gorda, Phoenix/Mesa, Sanford, Sarasota/Bradenton, Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg, and Washington, D.C. with connections world-wide. South Bend International’s multi-modal terminal serves over 1.5 million air and rail passengers each year.