Its an important training exercise for when disaster really does strike.
“Thankfully we have an extremely safe aviation sector here in Australia and you don’t get real events, they’re extremely rare, hence we create our own so our skills are sharp.” Perth Airport CEO Jason Waters explained.
As flares mimicked toxic fumes from a supposed ‘fuel-leak-turned-fire’ actors, posing as passengers, are seen rushing to safety.
Some pass out on the tarmac, others are stuck inside aircraft.
About 60 Perth Airport staff volunteered to act as casualties while more than 100 emergency service staff responded to the ‘incident’.
Other airport staff not participating in the exercise watched closely as Aviation Rescue and Firefighting Service, state firefighters, federal and WA Police, and paramedics all arrived on the scene.
Every two years Perth Airport runs these full-scale emergency exercises.
It’s intense, and even a little unnerving to watch but essential for ensuring everyone’s ready if the worst were to happen.
“The more we do these type of exercises and activities, the more we understand what our capabilities are, and the more we can provide that service and that assurity to the community in their time of need,” Clinton Kuchel from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Acting Commander Peter Hatch told those gathered that today’s training exercise gave him reassurance.
“I have the highest and utmost confidence should a real incident occur, that we would respond and respond well,” he said.
