Simulated crash puts services on toes
A BOMBARDIER Q300 passenger plane crashed at Dunedin Airport last night, killing several people and severely injuring about 20 passengers.
Fortunately it was a training exercise, held by Dunedin Airport, which aimed to give about 30 emergency services personnel from the Airport Emergency Service, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, St John and Dunedin Police experience in rescuing survivors of a plane crash.
Dunedin Airport infrastructure general manager Stu Casey said 25 people from the surrounding community volunteered to act as patients with varying injuries.
They were given makeup to look like they had real injuries, from bumps and scrapes to burns, broken bones, amputations, internal injuries and fatalities.
They were locked inside a
shipping container filled with passenger seating, crash debris and smoke.
‘‘There was smoke, there was noise, a lot of screaming and yelling — it was a good simulation for these guys.’’
Emergency services crews
evacuated passengers one by one, sometimes having to cut them from their seats.
They were then led away from the mock aircraft to a triage area, where the volunteers continued to act out the symptoms of their
injuries so St John staff could simulate treatment.
Mr Casey said the simulation was a great success.
It was only held every two years, but it was important to keep staff on their toes in case
the real thing happened, he said.
‘‘Let’s hope we never have to use these skills.’’