Emergency exercise tests airport’s resilience

Sydney Airport recently hosted a multi-agency emergency management exercise scenario with 11 agencies and 200 personnel to test the response procedures as part of a simulated flight disaster scenario.

More than 6 months in the planning, the emergency management exercise scenario involved an international flight on a Boeing 737-800 arriving from South-East Asia with 150 passengers on board which crashed on landing, resulting in numerous injuries and one fatality.

Sydney Airport joined forces with representatives from NSW Police, Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW Ambulance, NSW Health, the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) and Airservices Australia to test their response plans in the event of a major emergency.

The Agencies tested their responses and protocols around firefighting and evacuation, rescue and retrieval of trapped and injured passengers, triage and transport for injured passengers, and crash scene management and investigation.

Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said the emergency exercise was a vital drill.

"Air travel remains the safest way in the world to travel, and the exercise was about putting our response plans into practice, so we are ready in the unlikely event of an emergency.

“These emergency scenarios provide an invaluable opportunity for our teams to coordinate with agencies and test our response plans in real-time.

“I want to extend my thanks to all the agencies involved for their participation and collaboration. Together, we are ensuring that Sydney Airport remains safe, secure and well-prepared.”

Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna, Central Metropolitan Region NSW Police said:

“The purpose of this training is not just to test our emergency response capabilities but the whole process and flow of the emergency plan in a real testing scenario.

“We use these experiences and skills from the exercise to work more collaboratively in a multi-agency environment and to achieve the operational goal.”

Acting Area Commander Metro South Peter Cleary Fire and Rescue NSW said: “These types of exercises are vital to ensure our preparedness in the event of a real-life incident.

“By training side-by-side with our emergency services counterparts, we gain a better understanding of each other’s operating procedures, communications, and equipment in a realistic environment.”

Sydney Airport hosts an emergency exercise every 2 years to test the resilience of the airport’s emergency response plan in partnership with emergency agencies and organisations and is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for everyone.

Check out images from the emergency exercise here.