THE Commonwealth Ports Authority’s Aircraft Rescue Firefighting and other emergency response agencies on Friday tested their readiness during a Federal Aviation Administration triennial disaster drill at the north end of the runway and in various areas of the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport.
The simulation started at 10 a.m., when a “Boeing 737 with about 100 passengers crashed on the runway.” ARFF personnel rushed to the scene. They quickly put out the fire and sought out the “surviving passengers scattered on the ground.”
Besides mannequins, Public School System students, including Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets, portrayed the roles of survivors.
After the firefighters put out the blaze, emergency medical technicians from the ARFF and the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services attended to the “survivors.”
CPA legal counsel Joe Hallahan, who served as public information officer on that day, said the FAA triennial disaster drill is an exercise that tests the responsiveness of CPA and other airport partners in an emergency situation such as a plane crash.
Also participating in the exercise were personnel from the Department of Public Safety, the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., employees of airlines and volunteers from the American Red Cross-NMI Chapter.
Sen. Vinnie Sablan joined the CPA board members in watching the drill.
CPA Executive Director Christopher Tenorio thanked the volunteers from PSS and JROTC for participating in the event and for allowing CPA to create “a realistic emergency scenario.”
The triennial drill, he added, is an FAA requirement that provides CPA and its airport stakeholders with an opportunity to practice emergency response training.
Tenorio also thanked CPA’s federal partners who, he said, are “tremendous resources and assets to our community.”
He added, “Working together, the CNMI is ready to respond to any emergency that may happen at the airport, and again I want to thank all those who participated in today’s training.”
Commonwealth Ports Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting personnel use a fire hose to put out the blaze during a plane crash simulation at the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport on Friday.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
An emergency medical technician approaches a “survivor.”
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
An Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting personnel guides other first responders to the scene.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
Two Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting personnel carry a “survivor” on a stretcher.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
A “survivor” cries for help.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
