Mock Disaster Tests LGB, And We Are Ready

Your Long Beach Airport (LGB) is committed to providing excellent services and facilities in an intelligent, eco-friendly, efficient manner, respectful of our employees and the community that we serve. Our biggest commitment is the commitment to keep everyone safe.

On April 20, 2012, Long Beach Airport tested our ability to respond to a major incident. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires a full on-site exercise at airports every three years to test emergency plans and procedures, communications frameworks and the coordination abilities of the responding agencies.

Evaluators look on, inspecting us closely.

Conducting a large-scale emergency response drill is a FAA requirement as a part of maintaining the airport’s operation certificate and demonstration compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations. The drill involved a simulated aircraft accident to test the response procedures and equipment readiness of fire rescue units and other emergency personnel that would respond to an actual incident.

Long Beach Police and an Airport Safety Officer take names of volunteer wounded in the incident.

This type of exercise involves a myriad of agencies, including: Long Beach Fire, Police and Public Works Departments, Greater Long Beach Chapter of the American Red Cross, Long Beach Search and Rescue, Los Angeles County Coroner, Los Angeles County Fire, Los Angeles Sheriffs Department Aero Bureau, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Bowers Ambulance, California Air National Guard, Transportation Security Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Bureau of Investigation, JetBlue Airways, US Airways, Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, Boeing, FAA, Gulfstream, and UPS.

Volunteers inside the C-130, moulaged with mock injuries to simulate a disaster with mass casualties.

We would like to thank the hundreds of volunteers from across Long Beach that took part in the exercise this year. St. Mary Medical Center representatives were instrumental in helping to coordinate volunteers for this large-scale disaster event. Many local college nursing students, aviation students and others were recruited to play the role of victims needing attention at the scene, and also acted as family members being reunited with loved ones.

California State University Long Beach Journalism students portrayed the press and questioned airport officials about the mock incident. More volunteers from the community, LGB Ambassadors and guests all came out to lend their support to the drill effort. Together, their participation provided a sense of authenticity to the exercise, and we sincerely appreciate their contribution.

Airport Director, Mario Rodriguez, interviewed by local news affilliate KABC-TV

Emergency preparedness is our biggest priority and your airport constantly trains to be ready for any event. Simply put, we can never be too prepared and LGB will always keep training to give you a safer flying experience as we continue to look forward to an accident-free future.

Photos by Spencer K. Pena