Tuesday, September 22, 2015 at 10:00 PM - For Immediate Release
Airport Hosts Emergency Exercise in Terminal A Beginning Midnight on Wednesday, Sept. 23
SACRAMENTO – Sacramento International Airport (SMF) will host a full-scale, multi-agency emergency exercise in Terminal A from midnight to 3 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23. Activity is taking place in the middle of the night to minimize impact on travelers and airport operations. During the exercise, customers in Terminal B may see emergency vehicles with active lights and sirens arriving at Terminal A. Vehicle traffic to Terminal A will be prohibited after 11:55 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22. Traffic control measures and signage will be in place with staff on site to direct customers.
The event will start after the last flights arrive in Terminal A. If evening flights are delayed past midnight, they will be diverted to Terminal B.
An estimated 200 participants from more than a dozen state, local and federal agencies are participating in the readiness response exercise, which has been in the planning stages for 16 months. Participants will use weapons loaded with blanks to enhance realism. Thirty volunteers will wear realistic makeup to simulate injuries.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is providing administrative and documentation support for the activity.
This exercise came about after representatives of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the Sacramento Sheriff’s Dept. asked Sacramento International Airport to host an emergency response activity modeled after the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) shooting incident that occurred on Nov. 1, 2013.
The airport exercise, like the LAX shooting, requires collaboration between state, local and regional agencies.
“We welcome the chance to work with our partners in an emergency scenario that will be as realistic as we can safely make it,” said Director of Airports John Wheat. “The scale of this exercise is unprecedented and reflects the airport’s commitment to safety and security.”
Participating agencies include:
The Sacramento County Department of Airports is responsible for planning, developing, operating and maintaining the county’s four airports: Sacramento International Airport, Executive Airport, Mather Airport and Franklin Field. Sacramento International Airport offers more than 155 daily nonstop flights on 12 domestic and international carriers to 36 destinations. The regional economic impact of the Sacramento County Department of Airports is more than $4 billion annually. For more information, visit sacramento.aero.