Staff recommending City of Vernon enhance safety measures to keep wildlife out of airport

Deer at airport a concern

Photo: City of Vernon file photo

City of Vernon staff are recommending the city improve wildlife deterrents at the airport after an increase in the number of deer at the facility was found.

City of Vernon staff are recommending the city improve wildlife deterrents at the airport after an increase in the number of deer at the facility was found.

A report that will be presented to council at their regular meeting Monday, will recommend the city “upgrade wildlife control at the airport by increasing the height of perimeter fencing at key locations and enhancing security cameras with automatic wildlife detection capabilities at a cost not to exceed $80,000, to be funded from the airport reserve.”

The report says the Vernon Airport maintains an active wildlife monitoring program that includes routine airside patrols, seasonal wildlife surveys and ongoing habitat assessments.

Any observed changes in species presence, population trends, or behaviour are recorded in wildlife activity logs and entered into the airport's safety management system as an identified hazard. When notable shifts in wildlife activity are identified, the airport initiates a review of existing mitigation strategies and updates the wildlife management plan as necessary.

“These processes are required to maintain compliance with Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) and promote continuous improvement in the airport’s wildlife hazard management program,” the report says. “Recent wildlife monitoring has identified a trend of increased number of deer gaining access to airport property.”

The report explains that large mammals such as deer pose a high risk due to their size and weight, creating a significant hazard in the event of a collision with an aircraft.

“While this increase in deer activity is not unique to the airport, the associated risk to aviation users must be addressed. Current mitigation strategies, that include staff patrols and a variety of scare tactics are effective when personnel are on site, but do not resolve the root cause of the issue,” the report says.

The first step to improve safety is to increase the height of perimeter fencing at key locations to prevent deer access, at an estimated cost of $60,000. The second is enhancing security cameras with automatic wildlife detection capabilities to provide realtime alerts in key locations, at an estimated cost of $20,000. These measures should help keep deer outside of the airfield and provide staff with early warning when they do make it past the fencing.

To read the full report click here.