The Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport in Anguilla, with the involvement of the Fire and Rescue Service, and the various emergency services on the island, has pulled off a dramatisation of a real-life aircraft crash in a bid to maintain its Category-5 Status. The video recording of every detail of the event, done by KCN TV, will now be sent by the airport authorities to the Civil Aviation Authority for assessment and approval.
Acting Airport Manager in Anguilla, Lyndon Hodge, described the scenario for the simulation exercise. “It surrounded a Jet Stream 4-1 [aircraft] in-bound from Dominica and operated by Anguilla Air Link,” he supposedly reported. “The aircraft was carrying 22 students and six teachers from the six Government Primary Schools. They were returning from a science project field trip. Shortly before it was due to land, the aircraft experienced mechanical difficulties and as a result it crashed just east of the aerodrome. The runway in use was 1-zero which meant…the aircraft came in from the east, in the opposite direction, and crashed short of the runway. The aircraft actually broke apart, resulting in a fire and persons were displaced in the area.”
Questioned further about the conduct of the exercise, Mr. Hodge continued: “A number of emergency services were contacted. They included the Hospital, the Police, Department of Disaster Management, Red Cross, Security Department, the Anguilla Fire and Rescue Service and Air Traffic Control & Maintenance.
“The exercises are held bi-annually, but we do little ones in between in order to make sure that we are prepared for any possible accident that may occur. We have to maintain our Category-5 Status and this all has to do with our licensing. It is a requirement from the International Civil Aviation Organisation that we hold such an exercise every two years. That is compulsory.”
The Anguillian, which was invited to witness the exercise, found that all parties performed their roles in a professional and well-coordinated manner. Hundreds of gallons of foam – a real wastage as one might describe the extinguishing liquid substance – were poured over the presumed smouldering crash site, immediately controlling the smoke and flames.
By that time, rescue workers had already begun combing the bushes for survivors, and taking them to a holding tent to await the hospital’s ambulances, Emergency Medical Technicians and Red Cross personnel. Obviously grilled in acting out their roles well, the would-be patients, some with faked bleeding injuries, filled the quiet bush area with cries of pain and anguish as they were gently handled by rescuers and health personnel.
It was a team effort which was not only successful in its execution, but which will pay off if one day the scenario is in fact a real one.
