BOISE, Idaho — Local first responders along with airport officials and others held a full-scale disaster simulation at the Boise Airport's third runway south of the main airport Thursday.
The simulation is a requirement by the Federal Aviation Administration that must be conducted every three years.
This allows all the agencies involved to plan and define how they would respond in an emergency involving a plane. This exercise also allows agencies to assess how well the response was conducted and any improvements or training that may be needed for their staff.
This year's simulation was to resemble an inbound flight to the Boise Airport that experiences an in-flight emergency when the landing gear fails to extend. Upon landing the aircraft loses control and is disabled on the runway.
"It allows the Boise airport along with a number of our community partners to test our emergency preparedness," said Sean Briggs, Business Development Manager for the Boise Airport
The agencies who participated in this year's simulation include: Boise Airport, Boise Fire Department, Boise Police, Ada County Dispatch, Ada County Paramedics, Ada County Emergency Management, Central District Health, St. Luke's Hospital, Saint Alphonsus Hospital, The Idaho Air National Guard and Delta Airlines.
"Everything went as expected and then afterward each agency will get together and take a look at how the actual scenario worked out, and they will look at things that went well and things that they can be improved upon in the future," said Briggs.
Volunteers even went through a moulage area, a type of makeup that simulates wounds, and were given specific roles to play.
