The drill will be staged, in accordance with Federal Aviation Regulation, to evaluate the response times of emergency personnel involved in an actual airport emergency situation.  The FAA requires that "each airport operator shall develop and maintain an airport emergency plan designed to minimize the possibility and extent of personal injury and property damage on the airport in an emergency." 

The disaster drill must include all mutual aid agencies and incorporate a WMD (weapons of mass destruction) and/or active shooter scenario. 

All commercial airports are required by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Homeland Security to hold a disaster drill at least once every three years to ensure coordination with law enforcement, fire fighting and rescue agencies, medical resources, principle tenants at the airport and other interested persons.

The exercise will be staged on the west ramp of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport and will include the following:

Ø  An incident involving an aircraft

Ø  A second event near the location of the aircraft

Ø  An active shooter

Some of the agencies participating in the BTR Disaster Drill include:

Ø  The Baton Rouge City Police Department (Crime Scene, Uniform Patrol, and SRT)

Ø  The Baton Rouge Fire Department (HAZ Mat, Rescue and Support)

Ø  The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office (Patrol, SRT)

Ø  Brownsfield Fire Department

Ø  Baker Police Department

Ø  Zachary Police Department

Ø  EMS

Ø  The Department of Homeland Security

Ø  The Transportation Security Administration

Residents near the airport may hear sirens and minor explosions, and see smoke coming from the BTR Airport area between 9:00 a.m. and 12 noon on Saturday.

BTR Media Contact: Jim Caldwell

Marketing, Air Service Development & Public Relations Manager

Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport

Phone 225-931-9098

jcaldwell@brgov.com

Anthony Williams, Chief Airport Police\ARFF\ASC

9430 Jackie Cochran Drive

Baton Rouge, LA  70807

Office- (225) 358-4221

Fax- (225) 358-4230