JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Passengers at Jacksonville International Airport may have noticed what appeared to be an emergency response, but it was all part of a planned test and training exercise.
Agencies from across Northeast Florida took part in a large-scale aviation disaster exercise to prepare for the possibility of a real-world emergency.
The disaster exercise takes place every three years, and officials said this was one of the largest they have ever held, with more than 250 volunteers participating.
“It was a simulated crash between an internationally diverted flight and one of our F-35 jets,” said Meaghan Smalley, emergency preparedness manager for the Jacksonville Aviation Authority.
A plane collision, a fire that needed to be put out, plenty of fake blood and prosthetics were just some of what 25 Northeast Florida agencies, including the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, encountered at the airport.
“JFRD went out there and treated and transported 174 people,” Smalley said.
To prevent any alarm, passengers were notified ahead of time via social media. Travelers and employees at the airport also saw signs about the massive drill.
The exercise is mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration, and it took organizers nine months to put it all together.
“This is the largest aviation disaster exercise that Jacksonville has done, at least at this airport, in the last 15 years,” Smalley said.
Volunteers transitioned from crash victims to worried family members to cover all aspects of the simulated disaster. Among those helping were nine therapy dogs from the Tri-State K-9 Response Team.
“The dogs and our handlers are incredibly talented at helping just maintain a certain level of calm,” said Melissa Marquis, Florida crisis response coordinator.
Officials will review the exercise and identify lessons learned, then update emergency plans to strengthen coordination for any real disaster.
“These are the days that we exchange the business card, so if it ever were to happen in the real world, we are more prepared and ready to face the challenges that come with it,” Smalley said.
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