TULSA, Okla. — The Tulsa International Airport and local emergency agencies are partnering to run through a large-scale disaster scenario to close any gaps in their emergency plans.
2 News Oklahoma was there on the runway to witness the exercise.
Nearly 20 agencies were involved in the training including the Tulsa fire and police departments, EMSA, and the National Weather Service.
They had about 75 actors playing out an unknown disaster scenario, all mimicking a real event.
This is a part of Federal Aviation Regulation and is required to be completed every three years.
2 News spoke with Kim Kuehler the communication manager at TIA. She said they host smaller disaster scenarios throughout the year, but this is the big event.
"It’s a high-pressure environment and we are stress testing this in what would be real-time," said Kuehler. "It’s a great opportunity to see if there are any gaps in our plan before there is an actual crisis or if there is an actual crisis."
“So, we'd rather find those gaps today than in the event of a real crisis,” she also said.
In this year’s scenario, an aircraft had an accident on the runway, scattering debris and bodies across the tarmac.
One by one, emergency vehicles arrived at the crash site and hit the ground running, after the call was placed.
Firetrucks put out flames, while firefighters helped people to safety.
Medics tended to the wounded, sending them to the nearest hospital in stretchers.
During all this, the agency leaders were coordinating with each other.
Kimberly Querry, public information officer for EMSA, said, “It kind of helps us work out the kinks because especially when stress and chaos are involved, things can kind of get a little, little haywire. So, this is all about working everything out so that in case something like this were to happen, we have the best response possible.”
Kuehler told us each subsequent time they perform this, “We try to make it more and more real as possible.”
In fact, only a few officials with each agency knew what was going on, with those on the ground learning new details as they went.
Speaking of information, the airport was stress-tested on keeping the media and the public updated.
“I'm gonna be drafting communication for the public,” Kuehler explained, “everything as far as what to do if you were scheduled to fly out, how to be reunited with a family member to find out if maybe your family member is okay if they were on this on this flight.”
“Every single department is stress testing what they would do in this emergency, and we make it as real as possible as far as we're using today's weather conditions,” she added.
When we asked her if their response is going to be graded by the Federal Aviation Administration, Kuehler replied, “They do. They are observing. So, they'll give us some feedback on this, but it's not anything that I would imagine we'd be punished for. It's really a learning experience for our team and the local partners.”
Once they wrapped up the drill, the airport and the various agencies shared feedback with each other.
“We love the Tulsa community,” said Kuehler, “and our industry partners are really good about giving us constructive feedback. Again, better to find that today than in the event of a real crisis.”
Air travel made national headlines in recent months for several situations involving planes.
World News
Runway condition at the time of Toronto plane crash was 'wet or had light snow'
One happening on airport grounds tested the training of both flight and ground crews.
That was when a Delta flight flipped over while landing at a Toronto Airport causing a scary scene for passengers and crews.
But officials credit the actions of all crew members and quick response as all 80 people on board made it out safely.
That’s why Kuehler said this training is invaluable.
"So, emergencies are unpredictable and again stress testing our emergencies now in a simulated crisis is much better than in an actual crisis. So it’s just about preparing in any way that we can," said Kuehler.
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