Am Samstag, den 12. Oktober 2024, ging um 14:47 Uhr am Flughafen Innsbruck die Sirene los. Grund dafür war die fiktive Alarmlösung im Zuge einer groß angelegten Notfallübung, die gemeinsam mit dem Roten Kreuz Innsbruck, der Berufsfeuerwehr Innsbruck und der Polizei durchgeführt wurde. Die Übung für den Ernstfall dauerte knapp drei Stunden an und wurde planmäßig um 17:30 Uhr beendet.
On Saturday, 12 October 2024, at 2:47 p.m., the siren sounded at Innsbruck Airport. The reason was a simulated alarm as part of a large-scale emergency exercise, conducted jointly with the Innsbruck Red Cross, the Innsbruck Professional Fire Brigade, and the police. The emergency exercise lasted just under three hours and was completed as scheduled at 5:30 p.m.
Large-scale emergency exercises are legally required for airports every two years and represent an important tool to ensure the highest possible level of preparedness for emergency situations. Different scenarios are therefore practiced during each exercise. This year’s exercise simulated a passenger aircraft with 128 people on board veering off the runway during take-off and coming to rest at an angle beside the runway.
The focus of this year’s exercise was on the medical care and psychosocial support of passengers, crew members, their relatives and people meeting arriving passengers following an aviation emergency, as well as on coordination processes between emergency services, authorities, the crisis management team and the affected airline. In total, around 280 people took part in the exercise, including approximately 100 role players from across Tyrol. The planning of the exercise was coordinated around regular flight operations and deliberately scheduled during a period of lower traffic. Just as important as practicing emergency scenarios is the follow-up and evaluation of the observations and experiences gained during an exercise.
Airport Managing Director Marco Pernetta explained: “The exercise on Saturday provided many valuable insights. The next step is to integrate these findings into our existing emergency procedures.”
He also expressed his thanks to all participating emergency organisations and helpers, adding:
“A special compliment goes to the many role players who came to the airport in their free time and portrayed their roles in a highly authentic manner.”
Petra Sansone, Head of the Crisis Intervention Team at the Innsbruck Red Cross, emphasised the importance of large-scale exercises: “At the Red Cross, we have well-established structures for major incidents and disasters. Innsbruck Airport is likewise prepared for emergencies and must also comply with numerous regulations. It is therefore essential to practise scenarios that we hope will never occur, but where we would work together to support those affected in the best possible way. Many thanks to Innsbruck Airport for this exciting and educational exercise.”
Image credit: Innsbruck Red Cross