Emergency training exercise planned at Concord-Padgett Regional Airport

CONCORD, N.C. (WBTV) - The City of Concord is doing an emergency training exercise for local first responders at Concord-Padgett Regional Airport Wednesday morning.

The exercise is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. and will simulate an emergency response to a downed aircraft on the runway.

Residents and drivers traveling in the area surrounding the airport may see smoke and a large presence of emergency vehicles. This is a training exercise and the public should only call 911 if they are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, according to a press release.

The Federal Aviation Administration requires airports to hold full-scale emergency response exercises at least every three years.

“It’s critical that we come together as a team to practice our response to emergency situations, so that when an incident occurs in our city, we are prepared to provide the best and most efficient response possible,” said Ian Crane, Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Concord.

Multiple local law enforcement, fire, emergency medical teams and community organizations will participate in the exercise. Volunteers will also role play victims with injuries of various degrees of severity. The exercise is designed to provide the most realistic training possible to best prepare first responders and airport personnel.

Due to the training exercise, the runway at Concord-Padgett Regional Airport will be closed from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Wednesday, September 20. Pilots and users of the airport have been notified, the city said.

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