The Yakima Air Terminal McAllister Field staff along with its community partners will host a major, full scale exercise on Thursday, September 17th beginning at 12:30 pm. The exercise will simulate a fire that was ignited next to an airplane following by shots being fired. Over 70 volunteer actors and simulators will assist as victims, family members, media, etc. Their participation will make the exercise very real for our emergency responders.
The Yakima County Emergency Medical Services Office will be providing the artificial wounds and fake injuries to the surviving passengers again to make the circumstances as real as possible. We have approximately 20 exercise controllers and evaluators scheduled to facilitate with and evaluate the response systems.
The Emergency Response Community with more than 20 agencies, departments, and organizations will exercise their established plans and protocols. The list of agencies and departments participating includes the Yakima Fire Department and surrounding fire departments and districts, Yakima Police Department and mutual aid partners, Yakima Transit, both Yakima area hospitals and ambulance companies, Yakima Public Safety Communications (911), the American Red Cross, Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health, Alaska Airlines, the Yakima Air Traffic Control Tower, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue program, the Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management. In all over 100 individuals will be responding in one form or another to the incident.
The exercise will start on or about 12:30 PM on September 17, 2015. It is anticipated to end before 3:00 PM that afternoon. The Airport will remain open to operations but the terminal building will be closed during the event.
Prior to the exercise you may contact Rob Peterson, the Airport Manager, 575-6149, Bob Stewart, City of Yakima Fire Chief , 575-6060, Charles Erwin –City of Yakima Emergency Management 576-6732.
The media may contact Randy Beehler the Exercise Public Information Officer (PIO) 901-1142 for information the day of the exercise. Randy will have information about the exercise and its components.
Media will be provided direct access to any site before, during or after the exercise that does NOT conflict with the actual running of and participation in the exercise.
The Incident Command Post may have a Public Information Officer as well that can provide information about the response.