Emergency exercise at Hervey Bay Airport this weekend

If you notice emergency personnel attending to wounded and deceased passengers at what appears to be the site of an airplane crash on Saturday, please remain calm.

A simulated emergency exercise will take place at Hervey Bay Airport this Saturday (April 20) to evaluate how well response plans and procedures operate in an emergency.

Fraser Coast Regional Council Airport Manager John Barnden said this was a great opportunity for emergency services and airport staff to come together to test how well everyone communicates and identify improvements.

“Hervey Bay Police, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, State Emergency Service, Queensland Ambulance Service, and airport staff will all have to work together to manage a simulated crash of an A320 aircraft,” he said.

Playing the role of the injured and distraught relatives will be up to 100 volunteers from SES and ZPAC Theatre.

“This exercise will be very chaotic and confronting, requiring ambulance teams to offer medical assistance to passengers with varying degrees of injuries, emotional distress, and even fatalities,” Mr Barnden said.

“Airport staff will be responsible for guiding passengers to safety zones, coordinating communication, implementing emergency procedures, and managing distraught relatives, family, and friends.

“Firefighters will also be tested by having to respond to simulated aircraft fires and structural fires, while police will be managing crowd control, security, and documentation of the incident.

“Even though we all have our roles to play, it’s crucial that we all work together to manage an emergency, maximise efficiency, minimise confusion, and ultimately save lives.

“While we hope we are never confronted with a scenario like this, it’s important to be prepared and to test the Fraser Coast Local Disaster Management Plan.

“We look forward to participating in this emergency exercise so we can better evaluate our preparedness for an airport emergency and identify areas for improvement to enhance the safety and security of our airport.”

The mock crash will take place at Astro Aero adjacent to the Hervey Bay Regional Airport from 10am. There will be no disruption to regular flights.