It’s Only a Drill: Full-Scale Emergency Preparedness Exercise at LVIA

April 24th, 2017 | Airport News

First responders, mutual aid and airport personnel to participate on Saturday, April 29

Allentown, PA – Lehigh Valley International Airport (LVIA) is hosting a full-scale disaster exercise of the Airport Emergency Plan on Saturday, April 29 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Airports are required to by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct these exercises once every three years.

Over 150 participating personnel from more than 32 different agencies will respond to LVIA as in a real emergency, including firefighting and rescue equipment, emergency medical services and law enforcement agencies during a simulated emergency scenario involving an aircraft.  Nearly 80 volunteer role players (moulaged to simulate injuries) and an ignited fire will be also be used for training purposes. This is only an exercise.  It is not open to the public.

“This exercise provides the hands-on training necessary for airport personnel and local emergency organizations to practice and prepare for a mutual aid response in the event of a major aircraft disaster at LVIA,” said Charles Everett, Executive Director, Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority.

What: Triennial Drill – emergency preparedness exercise

When: Saturday, April 29, 2017, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Where: Lehigh Valley International Airport, 3311 Airport Road, Allentown

Who: Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, 32 agencies represented by 150 personnel

The exercise will be held in the secure airfield operations area and will not affect normal airport operations. A partial list of the (32) participating agencies includes:

• American Red Cross
• Eastern PA EMS Council
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Lehigh County Coroner
• Lehigh County Emergency Management
• Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority
• Lehigh Valley Health Network
• Northampton County Coroner
• Northampton County Emergency Management Services
• Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
• and many mutual aid units from area Fire, Police and EMS Departments.

*MEDIA: If you plan to attend drill, you must contact Colin Riccobon by 4PM on Thursday, April 27. This is an opportunity to learn firsthand how local emergency organizations would respond to an aircraft disaster at the LVIA.