In its more than 60 years of existence, a major plane crash has never occurred at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). However, being prepared for that event and other potential disasters is a top priority for MAC staff.
On May 7, the MAC executed a large-scale emergency drill at MSP involving a simulated plane crash. The exercise involved more than 500 community partners, volunteers and staff, and was designed to help the airport and its employees prepare for major incidents that could dramatically effect airport operations.
The exercise gave the airport an opportunity to test a variety of systems, activate emergency departments, and develop new procedures to manage airport operations if the unthinkable should happen.
"No one likes to think about the possibility of life-threatening disaster occurring, but preparing for and practicing our response is one of the most important activities we perform," said Kristi Rollwagen, emergency programs manager. "Our fire and police departments are always training, and we perform smaller-scale exercises regularly, but a full scale drill like this one enables us to involve other departments, airlines and mutual aid responders as well."
These large-scale exercises take place every three years and are required by the Federal Aviation Administration. Planning for an exercise of this scale begins as soon as the last one is finished by conducting a "hot-wash" – a frank discussion about what worked well and what may need improvement.
This feedback, along with reports gathered from participants who are unable to attend the hot-wash, is collected and combined into an after-action report. The report is then used to modify emergency plans, so that everything will run more smoothly in the event of a major incident. To test the new plans, smaller drills and table-top exercises are performed throughout the following three years leading up to the next major exercise.
