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Houston, TX (May 17, 2008) - Hundreds of emergency responders, Houston Airport System (HAS) employees, and local volunteers, playing the role of “victims,” took part in today’s Full-Scale Emergency Drill at William P. Hobby Airport. The 80 year old airport was the site of a federally-mandated disaster drill exercise which is required once every three years by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at all U.S. airports.
The purpose of the emergency exercise is to test, evaluate and improve the airport’s operational capabilities and its emergency management system under a strenuous environment. Results from today’s activities will be assessed at a later date and utilized to strengthen Hobby Airport’s emergency response efforts and strategies.
“People don’t always think about aircraft emergencies when they are traveling, but it should be very reassuring to know that the airport you are relying on is prepared,” says Mary Case, airport manager at Hobby. “We rarely have any major issues during these exercise drills. They do allow us to identify areas that need improvement and to fine tune our operations.”
Among the other local and federal agencies that participated in today’s Full-Scale Emergency Drill were the Houston Fire Department, the Houston Police Department and area hospitals. Volunteers playing the role of “victims” were assigned random injuries from minor wounds and lacerations to severe conditions and even fatal wounds. They were then transported to area hospitals for further evaluation and treatment.
During an actual emergency response, Hobby’s on-airport Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting teams have the capability to reach any point on the aircraft runways in less than two minutes.
“The full-scale practice emergency drills allow airport operations to evaluate processes and procedures, which in turn highlights our strengths and areas for improvement,” says Rick Vacar, director of aviation for HAS. “This knowledge is essential to improving emergency response.”
Bush Intercontinental Airport completed its full-scale emergency drill in September of 2007.
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