MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - In compliance with airport protocols, Miami International Airport officials and first responders conducted a safety drill to ensure they’re thoroughly prepared in the event of an emergency.
The safety drill, mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration, is required to be completed every three years to test emergency evacuation plans, protocols, medical response time, and law enforcement efficiency using a simulated emergency scenario.
“You play the game the way you practice,” said Miami International Airport Director Ralph Cutié.
This year, the theme for the emergency-scenario is an unruly passenger that leads to a shooting.
“And the U.S. Marshall will control the situation, possibly shooting the person and taking them down. In this case, a lot of people might get hurt. People are going to run out of the aircraft, ” said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Capt. Leonel Reyes.
Students from Miami Springs Senior High School participated as passengers on a plane, evacuating the aircraft after shots rang out. Some even mimicked being injured to make the drill as realistic as possible.
The scenario tests the coordination and communication between all of the agencies, including the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, and MIA officials.
“It’s very important that everyone recognizes that it is a daily work we work together, cooperatively,” said Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz.
Whether it’s evacuating a plane because of an unruly passenger or responding to a crash or fire on the plane, the airport response is crucial to saving lives. And with several recent crashes and near misses, people are uneasy about flying, so even though the drill is mandated, officials hope it shows their level of preparedness.
“And a good example of that is three years ago we had red air crash, here on our runway, and our fire department responded in half the time that the FAA requires. Had the fire put out and saved 140 lives as a result. That is because of exercises like this because they train daily, they train all the time,” said Cutié.
FAA evaluators were also onsite with a checklist; some even sat for ride-along, evaluating the drill to ensure all agencies’ responses’ were up to standard.
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