(CNS): According to Government Information Services the emergency services mock air accident was successfully carried out last night. During Operation Heron, fire, police and ambulance personnel as well as CIAA staff responded to a staged Plain Air Airbus 320 crash in an undeveloped area north of the east end of the runway at Owen Roberts International Airport. In the exercise the plane had 29 passengers and crew on board and four hours of fuel. During the drill two people were killed while ten were seriously injured and were transferred to the Cayman Islands Hospital during the exercise. (Photo by Dennie Warren Jr)
Seven people played the part of the walking wounded who were dispatched to Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital for treatment. The captain of the staged crash escaped unharmed.
The exercise was completed by around 10pm in the evening.
During the emergency exercise police stopped and diverted traffic at various street lights and junctions along Smith Road, Crewe Road, Owen Roberts Drive and surrounding roads in the Industrial Park area, as would be the case in a real emergency.
Prior to the exercises the CIAA’s Senior Manager Airport Operations and Chairman of the Airport Emergency Committee, Kerith McCoy, said it is crucial for airport personnel and supporting emergency responders to test their readiness on a regular basis to ensure they are fully prepared in the event of a real aircraft accident.
The Airport Emergency Committee comprises representatives from the Cayman Islands Airports Authority, Airlines, 911 Emergency Communications, Government Information Services/Joint Communications Services, Hazard Management Cayman Islands, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, the Cayman Islands Fire Service, the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority, the National Roads Authority, the Department of Environmental Health, the Red Cross and the Port Authority.
The moulage (makeup that makes wounds look real) I have never seen any thing like it. It was great. When one of the injured that came to the Hospital that looked burned was so real looking that if you did not know it was Moulage they would have to air lift them to a Burn Center. And other wounds were also like cuts and broke legs was too real looking. The first responders and the Red Cross did a out standing job, They got into the moment it was great to watch it all go down. My hat off to CIAA and all the the groups that make it look and feel real.
Perfection is not reality. The purpose of the exercise was to test actions and address where these actions did not meet expectations. The actions will have been documented and there will be a review process with the intent to implemenment corrections.
I was actually one of the "casualties" and wouldn’t call it "successful" either, but not because I feel sorry for the firefighters who were running over the injured with their hoses…
Please keep in mind the first priority at any scene is to secure it for the safety of the victims and the rescuer.And if all the fault u can find is fireman running hose over casualties WELL U PLAYED THE RIGHT PART AS A CASUALTY AND NOT AN OBSERVER.
Successfully? How easy lies come now a day… if u call working the on duty aerdrome firefighter till they drop successfully not even offering then a glass of water.
What the hell is that supposed to mean? Are you even on the same planet on which the exercise took place?
Well Well!!!!!! Why don’t we all shad a little light on this regular occurrence with in the Fire Service. From what I can understand that occurs very often, just about every major incident those pore Arodrome and Domestic Firemen are worked to the ground with out being supplied with any refreshments what so ever. Sorry my bad, they are offered the leftovers once management is finish with there lavishing meals and beverages. Not to mention, not having sufficient man power on staff to handle a major emergency such as the lovely British Airways that frequent our runway or even the national carrier Cayman Airways.
Oh!!!!!!! but one would wonder who is to blame for that. Well you can start by asking the Government why they think so little about the Fire Service and its operations.