Emergency drills next week at King County International Airport

Drils can be very realistic
This was an emergency drill in Shoreline

In late September, emergency responders and aviation officials from south King County will be conducting a series of mass casualty incident (MCI) drills at the King County International Airport.

Be advised that this is only a drill. The scenario will be visible from I-5, Airport Way, and Beacon Hill and is a potential visual distraction.

The dates of the drills are Sept. 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26. There will be two drills each day. The sessions run from 9 a.m.–noon and 1:30–4:30 pm. 

These practice scenarios help prepare firefighters, police officers, and paramedics for an actual plane crash by creating a realistic environment with a large number of “patients”. 

While emergency responders deal with patients daily, MCI situations are relatively rare and have different medical protocols. Aircraft or bus crashes and hazardous materials leaks are examples of MCI situations.

The drill also helps the King County International Airport meet FAA requirements for its Airport Emergency Plan.

Over the course of the 10 sessions, approximately 700 personnel including first responders, communications specialists, “volunteer actors” and Airport personnel will participate in the drill.

The scenario will involve a large aircraft at the south end of the KCIA. An aircraft body mockup will represent a commercial jet, and dozens of volunteer actors will have make-up to represent various injuries. Emergency vehicles will respond, stage, and arrive at the crash scene just as they would during a real emergency.