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Emergency services across Al Ain sprang into action as they responded to an emergency call as part of a full scale aircraft crash simulation exercise entitled ‘Operation Volcano’ at Al Ain International Airport.
The exercise, which is part of a series of drills carried out annually at Abu Dhabi Airports Company’s airports to examine the preparedness of the company’s emergency staff to respond to emergencies, saw a fictitious Boeing 737 aircraft with 70 passengers, and eight crew on board, crash at the Al Ain airport. It was organised by ADAC in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation/General Civil Aviation Authority standard requirements of Airport Emergency Planning.
The simulated disaster was planned to test all aspects of emergency management in the case of an aircraft crash including emergency communications, rescue, evacuations and security, and was role-played by a combination of volunteers and actors who put more than 200 ground personnel through their paces.
Emergency service personnel rushed to the scene of the crash on taxiway ‘O’ and started evacuating passengers and administering first-aid to the critically injured. Non-critical passengers were deployed to the Survivor Reception Centre located in the airport terminal where they were processed for immigration, before being dispatched to the Re-union Area where they were greeted by relieved friends and relatives.
The highly realistic simulation involved staff from Al Ain Civil Defence, Al Ain Police Emergency and Public Safety, UAE Air-Force and Air-Defense Rescue Coordination Centre, Ministry of Interior Police Air Wing, Al Ain Police Headquarters Operation Centre and a variety of medical agencies such as Al Ain Hospital, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain Military Hospital and Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Air College Medical Centre. Representatives from the Department of Transport and Etihad Airways attended the event as observers.
Mr. Nasser Juma, Vice President of Safety and Security at Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) said:
“There is no better way to test our emergency procedures and preparedness than a simulated exercise such as this, and we thank all of those who took part in putting us through our paces. ‘Operation Volcano’ is a culmination of many months of planning and co-ordinated working between all internal and external emergency response agencies, and forms a vital part of our overall Emergency Plan.
“This operation is evidence of ADAC’s commitment to the highest standards of safety and security and its dedication to continuous improvement. Exercises such as these not only give us the opportunity to test our readiness for major incidents that may occur within the parameters of the airport, but they also help us in building positive relationships with fellow emergency responders and identifying areas for improvement.â€
Mark Woodward, Aerodrome Inspector and Emergency Management Specialist of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), was present throughout the exercise.
He said:
“I cannot express enough the importance of emergency planning and emergency preparedness. I acknowledge the positive approach taken by ADAC at Al Ain airport and all those emergency services participating in the exercise.
“Testing the procedures in place allows all parties to gain awareness on the roles and responsibilities of the numerous internal and external supporting agencies involved in the event of an aircraft incident.
“Operations such as this lead to better performances and full preparedness for real emergencies and tests our processes to ensure victims including passengers, crew and their friends and relatives, are dealt with in an organised and professional manner.â€
A full scale emergency planning exercise of this scale is played out every two years as directed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. A partial exercise is held every alternative year, with ongoing table-top planning exercises held every six months.
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