Shreveport Regional Airport To Hold Disaster Drill
Training is essential in the aviation industry. Not only does it keep the flow of airplanes as expeditious as possible, but it's to keep passengers and people in the airports safe in times of emergency. Training is conducted through classroom instruction and exercise drills. Next week, The Shreveport Regional Airport will conduct one of those drills, and they ask the public to not be alarmed if they see emergency response teams in or around the airport.
The Shreveport Regional Airport will conduct a full-scale emergency planning exercise at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, October 12, 2016, simulating an aircraft accident.
A statement from Mark Crawford, Public Relations Manager for Shreveport Regional, details what will happen during the drill.
In order to conduct the exercise, the Shreveport Airport Authority and the Caddo-Bossier Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness will partner with emergency response providers from Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana State Police and Barksdale Air Force Base. The airport will remain open for normal operations throughout the drill.
The drill will simulate a crash involving an aircraft at Shreveport Regional, and will include area nursing students role playing as accident victims. In order for the exercise to be as realistic as possible, hospitals throughout the area will assist in caring for accident victims.
The Federal Aviation Administration requires commercial air service airports to conduct a full scale exercise once every three years in order for to maintain compliance with safety regulations. The exercise will be evaluated by FAA officials, as well as numerous emergency response providers for response times, coordination of the response, and other objectives.