Full-Scale Emergency Exercise at PBI

West Palm Beach, Fla (Sept. 18, 2023) – Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) will be conducting a full-scale emergency exercise on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at 8 a.m. The exercise will include a simulated aircraft incident where airport staff and emergency response agencies will respond to the scene as if it was an actual emergency.  

The exercise is mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration. PBI expects a large presence of first responders and emergency vehicles during the exercise. The exercise is expected to last several hours and will not impact on airport operations. All passenger flights will operate as scheduled. 

“Full-scale exercises are used evaluate our ability to provide a well-coordinated response in the event of an actual emergency,” Director of Airports Laura Beebe said.  “These types of exercises provide a valuable opportunity to test rescue procedures.” 

The exercise will involve actors from SouthTech Academy playing the part of passengers and others affected by the disaster.   Participants in the exercise include:  Palm Beach County Department of Airports, Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, FAA, Department of Emergency Management, airlines, tenants of PBI and Palm Beach County School Board.  Palm Tran Public Transportation is providing two buses to simulate an aircraft for the exercise. 

“This is a critical exercise that allows Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) to know the challenges that would be faced in a real disaster and how to save lives,” Chief Bob Kropa of ARFF said. 

The exercise follows the debut of the Dragon 5 firefighting truck, which features a “stinger” that is capable of piercing an aircraft’s skin to deliver water, gas or foam. 

About Palm Beach International Airport (PBI)
Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) serves more than 7 million passengers annually and offers 200 nonstop flights daily and 13 airlines.  As a part of PBI’s COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan, PBI became an accredited GBAC STAR™ facility and achieved Airport Health Accreditation by Airports Council International.

PBI boasts 5th Best Airport in the World in Conde Nast Traveler’s 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards and 7th Best Airport in the World in Conde Nast Traveler’s 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards.  PBI ranks Best in the U.S. for Shortest Overall TSA Wait Times by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  For more information, visit: pbia.org and follow PBI on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates and announcements.