Big Emergency Drill At Paine Field Thursday

Don’t be surprised to see lots of fire trucks, ambulances and personnel from around the area racing to Paine Field in south Everett Thursday morning. It’s time again for a major emergency drill at the airport. Here’s more on what’s happening from Paine Field’s Kristin Banfield.

Crews will train on various scenarios with this plane.

Snohomish County Airport will conduct a full-scale emergency drill on Thursday, May 12, 2022, from 10 am to noon.

The exercise will simulate an actual aircraft accident and will involve the coordination of various agencies, including airport staff and firefighters, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Airport unit, Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management, local area hospitals, mutual aid units from Everett Fire, Mukilteo Fire , South Snohomish Fire, and Snohomish Regional Fire; ambulances from AMR and Northwest Ambulance, SNO911 dispatch center, Alaska Airlines, Northwest Chapter of the American Red Cross, Granite Falls High School drama program, and various federal agencies.

To achieve a high level of realism, the emergency drill will include the use of smoke around the Airport’s Boeing 727 training aircraft. Many emergency vehicles, including fire trucks and ambulances, will also be visible in the vicinity of the exercise area, along with volunteers wearing makeup to simulate injuries.

No operational delays or impact to the traveling public are expected.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations mandate airports with commercial service to conduct full-scale emergency drills every three years, with annual tabletop exercises in the off years. This drill will be slightly reduced in scope from previous years due to COVID-19 protocols.

WHAT: FAA-required full-scale airport emergency drill

WHEN: Thursday, May 12, 2022, from 10 am to noon

WHERE: Paine Field Fire Department, 10630 36th Pl W., Everett