August 30, 2023 — A full-scale emergency training exercise will be conducted at Blue Grass Airport on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 9:00 am. 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. In compliance with Federal Aviation Administration training requirements, the 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 more than 20 emergency agencies including fire and rescue personnel, emergency management, law enforcement agencies, local hospitals, the American Red Cross, Kentucky Department of Public Health and many others. Volunteer groups from local universities, schools and other organizations will serve as role players, moulaged to simulate injuries sustained from the incident.
The exercise is expected to last several hours and will have no effect on airport operations. All passenger flights will operate as scheduled. The exercise will include the use of sirens and participation of numerous emergency vehicles providing mutual aid response.
“Our top priority is the safety and security of Blue Grass Airport’s passengers,” said Eric Frankl, president and CEO of Blue Grass Airport. “This exercise, which incorporates our partner agencies, is invaluable in evaluating our ability to provide a well-coordinated response in the event of an actual emergency.”
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. A team of evaluators will be present to judge the effectiveness of the exercise and the readiness of responding rescue crews.
Media seeking to report on the exercise should contact the airport by 5:00 pm on September 5 to obtain pre-arranged access to the media viewing area. One-on-one interviews will be held from 8:15-8:45 am on September 6 so airport media relations staff can participate in the exercise.