HYANNIS – Cape Cod Gateway Airport conducted an in-depth exercise involving safety protocols via a full-scale emergency exercise on Thursday, September 26 at 5:00 p.m. at the airport grounds in Hyannis.
The exercise simulated a completely mock scenario of an aircraft accident. Actual aircraft were not be used in the drill, yet fire departments were setting training fires and using other simulations to test the airport’s emergency response plan. Police, Fire, Cape Cod Hospital, US Coast Guard, Federal Aviation Administration, Massachusetts Department of Transportation-Aeronautics Division, airlines, American Red Cross, Emergency Management, and other Cape Cod towns all played a role in the exercise.
“The Federal Aviation Administration requires us to stage a full-scale exercise every three years,” said Airport Manager Katie Servis. “The ultimate goal of the exercise is to identify improvements to be made to our emergency response plan should a real disaster ever happen at the airport. Both strengths and weaknesses of the response will be noted, and an evaluation team will be on hand to monitor and critique the exercise. The exercise tests multiagency coordination and response implementing use of the resources from its surrounding communities.”
“Full-scale exercises are an important component in ensuring the safety of the traveling public. Exercises also provide an opportunity to test response plans that may be used during various types of emergencies, ensuring that the exercise bridges the skills of participating response teams. We appreciate the efforts and assistance of all agencies involved,” said Chief Peter Burke, Hyannis Fire.
