(Los Angeles, CA) Nearly 200 emergency response personnel from 20 organizations took part today in the 2019 LAX Air Exercise (AirEx), a full-scale simulation designed to test Los Angeles International Airport’s (LAX’s) readiness to respond to an aircraft accident on the airfield.
The objective of the exercise is to evaluate the operational capability and readiness of LAX’s incident management and emergency response system in a real-time environment in which people, equipment and materials are mobilized and deployed.
“The safety and security of our guests is paramount, and this exercise allows our staff and our partners, including the Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles Airport Police and federal agencies, to practice in real time the skills they will need if a major incident were to occur,” said Keith Wilschetz, Deputy Executive Director, Operations and Emergency Management, LAWA. “The AirEx, which is just one of the numerous ways our teams train for emergencies throughout the year, is our largest full-scale training exercise, and will result in better coordination and enhanced readiness for all involved.”
"Every day we work hand in hand with our public safety and airport operations partners to keep LAX safe and secure. This tri-annual FAA AirEx provides us with an opportunity to work on our emergency response, incident command and control strategies in a full-scale operation," said Patrick Gannon, Deputy Executive Director, Public Safety and Security, LAWA. "We understand that familiarity, planning, experience and training are imperative, and that's primary to our mission here at LAX.“
“The most important thing we do is respond to emergencies. The second most important thing we do is train for them, and this full scale emergency exercise is as good as they come,” said Captain II Erik Scott, Public Information Officer, Los Angeles Fire Department. “This real-time drill ensures successful interoperability between key agencies during an aircraft accident on the airfield, ensuring we provide the best emergency service possible to those we proudly serve.”
The scenario for today's exercise was the emergency landing of an aircraft, followed by a fire. About 150 volunteers role-played accident victims, including many in moulage – special effects makeup applied to simulate injuries. The exercise was monitored by a number of professional evaluators, and nearly 300 observers were also on hand to learn from the large-sale training. This included observers representing 20 airlines and airport stakeholders, as well as representatives of the consulates of 13 nations, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, Greece, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Kenya, Canada and Brazil.
In addition to the emergency response, the exercise tested LAWA's plans for support of victims of an aircraft disaster and the affected airline by expediting patient tracking and reunification of friends and family. For the first time, observers were also able to see how hospitals would process transported patients, set up family support and share information with LAX, the airline and federal agencies.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires the unrehearsed exercise to be conducted by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) at least once every three years. LAWA officials will use information gathered during the exercise to help further refine emergency response plans at LAX.
Organizations represented at today’s exercise included LAWA, the Los Angeles Fire Department; the American Red Cross-Los Angeles Chapter; Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Department and Coroner’s Office; Federal Bureau of Investigation; FAA; Transportation Security Administration (TSA); U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); Cedars Sinai, Kaiser Permanente and Southwest Airlines. Allegiant Air provided one of its Airbus A319 aircraft to use as a backdrop.
