Mackay Airport hosts mega emergency drill with 120 first responders
Hundreds of first responders rushed to the Mackay Airport to participate in a huge emergency drill with crisis volunteers spilling onto the tarmac.
Mackay
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More than 120 emergency service responders and volunteers rushed to the Mackay Airport in a disaster simulation.
The major exercise — conducted once every two years — involved responders from the Queensland Police Service, Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Fire Department, Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting Service, State Emergency Service, Australian Red Cross, Mackay Health and Hospital Service, airlines and more.
A bus parked on the tarmac acted as a plane suffering from a safety emergency and was broadcasting mayday, starting the drill.
QFD fire engines responded and soon dozens of role players spilt from the bus onto the tarmac, wailing from imagined injuries.
Firefighters began administering first aid, while police arrived to the scene to co-ordinate the response, followed by paramedics.
Mackay Airport Head of Operations Adrian Miles said the exercise enabled airport staff and responders to improve their emergency processes.
“The main goal out of the exercise today is for all the organisations to be able to practice their emergency plans … also observe and evaluate all the practices and processes around the day,” Mr Miles said.
“A big part of that is … streamlining communications between responding agencies.
“Safety is our number one priority.”
Despite the serious scenario, some responders treated the melodramatic casualties with a grin.
Flights and airport operations were not impacted by the exercise.
While firefighters rushed to a fake plane, crews and rural firefighters battled a very real blaze that razed a Eungella house.
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