At Naples Airport, preparation and resilience are key priorities – especially during storm season.
With hurricane season in Southwest Florida presenting the risk of flooding, the Naples Airport’s operations team has completed training on a new flood barrier system designed to protect its buildings, equipment and technology against future storm surge.
This summer, the airport purchased a state-of-the-art Tiger Dam flood barrier system, an industrial-grade solution designed to protect vital infrastructure from rising water. The new system consists of 3,000 feet of flexible tubing that, when filled with water and secured together, forms a strong and airtight barrier. Unlike traditional sandbags, Tiger Dams have been proven to hold back flood waters more effectively than sandbags – and often, quicker to deploy.
During Hurricane Ian in 2022, parts of the Naples Airport were inundated with storm surge from the Gordon River and Naples Bay that disrupted operations and damaged property.
“Having seen the water three to five feet throughout the airport really changed our thinking about how we prepare and mitigate our facilities for future events,” said Justin Lobb, deputy director of aviation at Naples Airport.
“We realized we needed to protect our assets more proactively,” added Barry Brown, director of operations and maintenance for Naples Airport. “We looked at a number of different resources that could meet those needs and Tiger Dam really stood out as pretty easy to deploy, a lot less expensive than some of the other systems and it’s pretty intuitive.”
The Tiger Dam systems, manufactured by U.S. Flood Control, are used nationwide by utility companies, government agencies, hospitals, large businesses and retail centers. Naples Airport purchased enough tubing to protect the North Road Terminal, General Aviation Terminal, Airport Office Building, Facilities Building and Fuel Farm. This will provide reliable protection for key airport buildings, electrical equipment, and communications infrastructure, keeping the airport operational when Southwest Florida needs it most.
Equally as important, the airport’s operations team has completed hands-on training to ensure fast and efficient deployment. Naples Airport’s operations team held a training exercise on Aug. 13 that involved filling, stabilizing, anchoring, stacking, draining and packing the flood barriers. The Tiger Dams are stored onsite in a custom trailer and rapidly deployed within hours based on weather forecasters’ predictions for storm surge.
“Tiger Dam is an emergency rapid deployment,” said Cheryl Witmer, sales director for U.S. Flood Control, adding that Tiger Dams essentially fight water with water. “You can put it up very quickly with very few people.”
By investing in advanced flood protection without any taxpayer funding, Naples Airport demonstrates its commitment to safety, preparedness, and community service. Naples Airport itself is a self-sustaining entity that generates revenue through fuel sales, hangar rentals and other related services.
In a region where resilience matters, this investment underscores the airport’s forward-thinking approach and dedication to protecting both people and property.
