CLEVELAND — First responders flooded the runway at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport Wednesday for a drill that only happens once every three years, but could make the difference during an actual emergency.
Fire and medical workers didn’t know exactly what they were getting into when supervisors said a Boeing 737 and a Beechcraft Bonanza collided on the runway. First responders arrive on the scene within seconds, knocking down the flames and rushing to help several passengers injured.
These are the circumstances airport officials created to test their airport emergency plan and communication. There were no actual airplanes involved. The flames were nonexistent. And the victims were portrayed by volunteers covered in fake injuries.
“We try to find any real-world scenario that may happen and prepare for it,” said Michele Dynia, senior media and communications specialist at the airport.
These kind of full-scale, emergency preparedness exercises are what the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires every three years and Dynia says—for good reason.
“Incidents happen across the country all the time. So when those real world events happen all airports learn what happened there. So its constantly evolving and we’re always trying to implement new responses and procedures in an event,” she said.
Last year, a plane engine caught fire in Columbus when it hit a flock of Canada geese. Earlier this month, two planes collided on the runway in Atlanta. No one was injured.
Officials at Hopkins switch up the scenario for each exercise they conduct to keep first responders guessing and prepared to respond to whatever may happen on the runway.
“By just kind of springing it on people, it’s a little more realistic. And then you’ll get that realistic response form people within the airport,” she said.
According to airport officials, Cleveland Hopkins sees more than 125 flight departures every day and serves 10 million passengers a year. Burke Lakefront Airport will conduct its emergency preparedness exercise next year.