Emergency exercise at Sydney Airport

It’s a scene our emergency services hope they never need to respond to, but one they must prepare for.

A full scale disaster at Sydney Airport.

Today more than 500 personnel from 20 agencies – including paramedics, police and firefighters – were put to the test in a mock exercise, replicating a commercial plane crash.

In the scenario, a flight loaded with passengers and flight crew experienced engine failure and crashed while trying to land.

It caused mass fatalities and injuries.

The drill involved more than six months of planning. It involved more than 170 actors, playing dead or severely injured passengers and flight crew.

Crews rushed to the scene on Sydney’s international tarmac within minutes and spent four hours rehearsing their responses, which included triaging and treating patients, putting out flames and managing traffic control both for the airport and on roads in surrounding areas.

Deputy Commissioner David Dutton from NSW Ambulance said the best way to train crews, was through situations as lifelike as possible.

“There are desktop exercises, virtual simulation exercises, but really scrumming down on the sidelines and then getting onto the field of play is what it’s all about,” he said.

Airport CEO Geoff Culbert said the drill was crucial for the safety of the 43 million passengers who pass through Sydney Airport each year.

“We hope an event like this never happens, but if it does, we need to be ready”.