Airport and Area Agencies Practice Emergency Response

Roanoke, Virginia – On Saturday morning, September 19, from 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission will be conducting a live Emergency Response drill that will include fire simulation, injury simulation, and multi-agency response.

“Commercial airports conduct live exercises to prepare for a major aircraft emergency,” explains Tim Bradshaw, AAE, Executive Director for the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission. “We stage a mock aircraft disaster, and then respond as if it were a real incident. The airport and many other city and area agencies participate so we can test our emergency response procedures.”

An aircraft fire simulator will be used to practice aircraft fire response. Volunteer patients simulating victims will be triaged and transported to Lewis Gale and Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospitals.

This is a multi-jurisdiction, multi-agency drill with participation from Roanoke Regional Airport Commission, City of Roanoke Fire-EMS, Police, Emergency Management, and Office of Communications, City of Salem Fire-EMS, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, Virginia Department of Health, Federal Aviation Administration, Carilion Clinic Patient Transport, Landmark Aviation, U.S. Department of Navy, US Airways Express, Delta Connection Carriers, United Express, Western Virginia EMS Council, Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association, Virginia State Police, Jefferson College of Health Sciences, McAlister’s, Roanoke City E-911 Center, Roanoke County Dispatch, Office of Chief Medical Examiner, Salem VA Medical Center, Pro-Tec Fire Services LTD, Near Southwest Preparedness Alliance, Transportation Security Administration, Allegiant Air, VT Carilion School of Medicine, Botetourt County Department of Fire & EMS, Ripley Textile Designs, Lynchburg Regional Airport, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, the American Red Cross, Roanoke County Fire-EMS, Roanoke County Police,  the Town of Vinton Police Department, City of Salem Police Department, Mountain Valley Transportation, and Lewis-Gale Medical Center are also participating.

The exercise will not impact flights arriving or departing from the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport.

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