By: Latonya Roberts
Journal Staff Writer
The Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) collaborated with The Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force to conduct their biennial Full-Scale Emergency Exercise. The collaborative effort is a simulation of a real crash at the Lyden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) required by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas (CAA-B).
NAD authorities released a statement that said “The emergency exercise at LPIA is a critical training opportunity for emergency responders to practice managing a complex aviation incident in real time. By simulating a crash scenario, the exercise will provide responders with valuable hands-on experience in coordinating emergency procedures and managing resources during a crisis.”
Vice President of Operations at NAD Johnathan Hanna explained the importance of all operating teams working in sync at the exercise if a real accident occurs.
“There is an aircraft accident simulation by international and local civil aviation regulations, we are required to test a full-scale exercise every two years. We want to come out and ensure that everyone knows their role and does their part as it is a very large multi-agency coordination.”
Jet Blue Airlines conducted the evaluation of the exercise and Mr. Hanna said the evaluation plays a major role in improvement for further drills and exercises.
“The Civil Aviation Authority plays a large role, they come out and look at all of the various elements, not only here but also in our emergency operation centre. We work with a host airline and in this case, it was Jet Blue. They bring in their evaluators as well as we bring in third party evaluators to look at all aspects of the emergency exercise, to have additional input to identify any potential opportunities to improve.”
A total of 14 agencies participated in this year’s drill, including Nassau Airport Development, Airport Authority, Bahamas Air Navigational Services Authority, National Emergency Medical Services, Public Hospitals Authority, Royal Bahamas Police Force, Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Air Accident Investigation Authority, Bahamas Immigration, Bahamas Customs, Department of Meteorology, United States Embassy, United States Customs and Border Protection Services, and the Disaster Risk Management Authority.
The full-scale emergency exercise underscores LPIA’s commitment to the safety of its passengers, staff, and the wider community. By rigorously testing its emergency response protocols, LPIA is better equipped to handle unexpected incidents with professionalism and efficiency.
