Traffic to be diverted for mock airport emergency

(CNS): Police are warning drivers that there will be traffic disruptions this morning as the airport undertakes its annual emergency safety exercise.Diversions will be in place from 9am until noon along Crewe Road near the Rubis Gas Station (Jose’s) west toward the Smith Road and Walker’s Road junction, the CNB roundabout on Elgin Avenue and the Crewe Road – Owen Robert’s Drive intersection. The full scale emergency exercise will see the vehicles involved traversing the mentioned road ways to and from the airfield at Owen Roberts International Airport. West bound traffic on Shamrock Road are advised after 9:00am to use South Sound Road, South Church Street or Walker’s Road into Central George Town.

Motorist are advised to avoid the area if possible and east bound traffic from Central George Town are also advised to use Walker’s Road, South Sound heading toward the eastern districts. Police said the diversions are in the best interest of public safety and uniform police officers will be on hand to assist the motoring public.

The exercise is being organized by the Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) and involves all local emergency responders. Code named “The Real Deal” the mock plane smash will be staged near the Airport.

This year’s exercise will focus on the rendering of appropriate emergency services in order to save life and property and the importance of taking care of the family and friends of plane crash victims during the immediate aftermath of the incident.

“Recent incidents have revealed that often times victims’ family members who are at the airport during the time of the incident are not given up to date information on their loved ones because emergency responders are focused on dealing with the crisis,” the CIAA’s senior manager, safety management systems and the chairman of the Airport Emergency Planning Committee, said.“However, we would like that to change and we will do our best to ensure the victims’ families are treated with due respect and are well informed throughout the whole process up to and including the time they are reunited with their loved ones.”

The goal of this type of exercise is to test the readiness of emergency responders to handle an aircraft accident and form an organized response in those critical first moments, which could mean the difference between life and death.

The Airport Emergency Planning Committee comprises of representatives from CIAA, Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting Services, Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, Health Services Authority and Hazard Management Cayman Islands.

“The committee has been working feverishly over the past few weeks to ensure every detail of the simulation is as close to reality as possible,” McLaughlin added.

The Cayman Islands Red Cross, Government Information Services, Public Safety Communications Centre, 9-1-1, the Cayman Islands Cadet Corps and airline partners will also assist the committee during the emergency exercise.