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Airport completes full-scale emergency drill 

The San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport has concluded its preparedness drill. FAA regulations require that airports conduct a full-scale exercise every three years to rehearse with all the entities that would be involved in an actual emergency. The purpose of the exercise was to evaluate the preparedness and capabilities of the airport, its tenants and local response agencies.

The event was held Thursday, May 10, in the airport’s old terminal, with a jet bridge and larger activity area to simulate the new terminal. The drill mimicked a 50-passenger aircraft incident and a potential security incident; injured “passengers,” smoking objects and terminal evacuations also played a part in the airport’s comprehensive drill. The group will debrief and report back on lessons learned, in order to improve the response during a real emergency.

“The airport would like to thank all of the organizations that participated in today’s exercise,” said Airport Director Kevin Bumen, C.M., C.A.E. “The safety and security of our passengers is the airport’s highest priority, and the work we put in today will help us be more effective tomorrow.”

The organizations and agencies involved in the exercise include: San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport, Cal Fire, Skywest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Eagle Airlines, San Luis Ambulance, Cambria Ambulance, Air Traffic Control, American Red Cross – San Luis Obispo Chapter, San Luis Obispo City Fire, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, Transportation Security Administration, Sierra Vista Hospital, California Highway Patrol, San Luis Police Department and the County Office of Emergency Services. Cuesta College students and community volunteers role-played aircraft crash victims.

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The news staff of the Paso Robles Daily News wrote or edited this story from local contributors and press releases. The news staff can be reached at info@pasoroblesdailynews.com.