BLUE GRASS AIRPORT CONDUCTS FULL-SCALE EMERGENCY EXERCISE

August 6, 2009 – A full-scale emergency exercise will be held at Blue Grass Airport on Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at 6:00 pm.  Approximately 300 individuals will gather to participate in the exercise, which is designed to test the capabilities of airport and community emergency response staff in the event of an aviation incident.  The disaster exercise will include a simulated aircraft incident where all airport staff and emergency response agencies will respond to the scene as if it was an actual emergency.

The exercise involves the active participation of approximately 15 emergency agencies including fire and rescue personnel, law enforcement agencies, local hospitals, the American Red Cross and many others.  A full-scale emergency exercise is staged every three years as required by the Federal Aviation Administration.  During the interim years, tabletop exercises are performed to ensure airport and community preparedness.

“These full-scale training exercises provide us with an opportunity to practice and evaluate our communication and emergency response skills,” said Eric Frankl, interim executive director at Blue Grass Airport.  “We appreciate the participation of our partner agencies in this important exercise.  In the case of an actual emergency, it is essential for all agencies to work together to provide a quick and well-coordinated response.”  

A team of evaluators will be present to judge the effectiveness of the exercise and the readiness of responding rescue crews.  The exercise is expected to last several hours and will have no effect on airport operations.  All flights will operate as scheduled.

Blue Grass Airport is served by six major airlines providing convenient non-stop service to 12 major hub cities and direct service to hundreds of destinations worldwide.  The airport proudly serves over one million central and eastern Kentucky travelers each year.

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