KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO HOLD FULL-SCALE EMERGENCY EXERCISE ON THURSDAY, FEB. 20 AT 6 P.M.

KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO HOLD FULL-SCALE EMERGENCY EXERCISE ON THURSDAY, FEB. 20 AT 6 P.M.

KEY WEST, FL – Key West International Airport and Monroe County Fire Rescue will be conducting its triennial full-scale disaster exercise to review the Airport Emergency Plan on Thursday, Feb. 20 from 6 to 11 p.m. The airport will remain open throughout the event and there will be no interruptions to scheduled flights or the community. The community should be aware there will be activity going on near the airport entrance on South Roosevelt Boulevard. The exercise is not open to the public.

The Federal Aviation Administration requires the airport to conduct the review at least once a year, but every third year, the airport must perform a full-scale exercise during the review.

Monroe County Fire Rescue’s Airport Station 7 will lead the full-scale exercise. Other participating agencies will include Monroe County Emergency Management, Florida Highway Patrol, City of Key West Police and Fire Rescue, Trauma Star, Naval Air Station Key West Emergency Services, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Lower Keys Medical Center, Monroe County Health Department, and other critical emergency agencies.

More than 75 volunteers will volunteer as injured passengers and play a critical role in the success of the exercise. The drill is designed to test the emergency responders at the airport and the local community’s response in the event of an aircraft disaster.

“It will be a challenging and overwhelming exercise this year for the participants,” said Monroe County Airport Battalion Chief Alvin “Cab” Bentley. “Although a disaster of this size is unlikely, this will truly test the limits of the airport’s emergency responders. It also will enable the airport to better evaluate its readiness in the event of a real emergency.”

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