Disasters are never scheduled. But when it comes to being prepared to respond to a significant incident at Vancouver International Airport, the chance comes on a regular rotation once every three years to be exact.
On Wednesday, that meant assembling 600 people and 27 different agencies to take part in a large-scale, emergency training exercise.
The scenario involved a plane developing engine problems as it leaves YVR and then crashing short of the runway while trying to return for an emergency landing.
The exercise featured a mock crash site complete with the controlled, burning fuselage of a commercial aircraft and a rescue of passengers in the waters off the north western tip of Sea Island using the Coast Guards hovercraft and Cormorant helicopter from CFB Comox.
Steve Hankinson, YVRs Vice President of Airport Operations told media invited to view the exercise that planning for the event started in 2012 and is a vital component in making the airport safe.
We are continually practising and preparing for events like this, Hankinson said. And what this allows us to do is to actually test that our plans work well and that we can communicate and work well together.
Based on initial observations, Hankinson said the emergency personnel taking part came through with flying colours.
They have done very well in terms of coordinated response, he said. The communication and collaboration has been very effective.
Asked what it cost to stage the event, Hankinson said that with so many different groups taking part it was difficult to nail down an exact figure.
In between the full-scale exercises like the one held this week, YVR holds regular emergency simulation drills and table-top exercises to hone readiness for incidents of varying severity from security threats and natural disasters to biological hazards and medical emergencies.
YVR is Canadas second-busiest airport, serving 17.6 million passengers in 2012, and handling 261,000 takeoffs and landings.
