Kerala - Kochi   

Airport witnesses a ‘rescue act’

KOCHI: A full-fledged mock drill simulating an emergency situation was conducted at the Cochin International Airport on Friday to analyse how various agencies would respond to a real crisis of similar proportions.

The drill started at 11.40 a.m. when the Air Traffic Control alerted the fire unit of the airport to smoke billowing out of the tail-end of an aircraft set for takeoff. The flight had 38 “passengers.”

Fire tenders and fire-fighting staff rushed to the spot. The first task was to extinguish the “fire” and then, rescue the “passengers,” including those who had “injuries of varying degrees.”

While the “safe passengers” were immediately segregated, the “injured” were moved into a triage area, at a safe distance from the spot. Some were released after administering “first aid,” while the seriously injured were moved to “hospitals” in ambulances.

A Command Control Post, initially comprising the Airport Director, the head of the fire wing, the security chief, an official of the airline concerned and a medical officer, coordinated the operation. Its members were substituted with officials of other agencies as the situation evolved.

Agencies from outside the airport gathered at a rendezvous point. Those found inessential were restricted to a staging point, some distance from the action.

The drill, which ended at 12.30 p.m., was followed by a review meeting.

Airport Director A.C.K. Nair told presspersons that such a drill involving aircraft had to be held every two years under aviation rules. He termed the drill a big success.

V. Suresh Babu, General Manager, Fire-fighting and Rescue, said the response time of the agencies was commendable.

Mr. Nair said arrangements for the drill had been made in the past two months. It was preceded by discussions with various agencies, fixing roles for each of them. Consultations were followed by the formation of a core emergency team.

Mr. Babu said the drill was a learning experience for the officials, both for the participants and others who watched and learned the proceedings.

Nearly 250 people took part in the drill. Officials of airlines, the Central Industrial Security Force, the medical unit of the airport, the State police and the Fire and Rescue Services participated. Besides, ambulance units from hospitals were enlisted.

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