Barnstable Airport Runs Full-Scale Disaster Drill

A Barnstable Municipal Airport Fire Crew participates in the disaster drill.

BARNSTABLE – Emergency crews from across Cape Cod took part in the Barnstable Airport disaster drill last night.

The airport is required to conduct the drill every three years, with a real-life simulation involving fire departments, state police, airport personnel and the coast guard.

Airport Manager Bud Breault was impressed with how the drill went.

“From what I saw, the response on the field and the interaction of the people working on the field, we’re all working together toward a common goal and I think we did do that,” said Breault.

A number of fire crews from across the Cape assisted Barnstable Airport firefighters during the disaster drill.

The exercise simulated a mock scenario of an aircraft accident and is meant to test the airport’s response plan.

The airport is required to be at the scene of an accident at their location and extinguishing a fire within three minutes and is tested every year by the FAA.

Several junk cars and a large garbage bin full of wood were set on fire for the drill to simulate the aircraft accident.

Volunteers were also on hand to play the roles of accident victims, and were transported to Cape Cod hospital for medical care during the drill.

The coast guard’s medical helicopter was unable to participate in the drill because of the rain and windy weather.

Airport officials have been coordinating and organizing the drill for almost a year

“It’s a lot of work, a lot of effort,” said Breault. “We were really upset when it looked like the weather was going to get really bad and we might have to cancel, but fortunately we were able to pull it off and do the drill.”

Each time the drill is conducted, a different scenario for the simulation is thought of.

“We try to think of things that we can do that would better exercise the different teams and come up with a different scenario,” said Breault.

With all the help from emergency crews across the Cape, Breault knows that they also have enough manpower at the airport to help in emergencies.

The airport has 25 full-time employees, 10 of which are assigned to the operations department and are qualified to run trucks and be first responders, as well as nine members of the airport’s maintenance division.

“It’s an all hands evolution to put one of these drills on,” said Breault. “To ensure the safety of the airport and the public when they’re involved in this kind of thing.”