Sheremetyevo International Airport finalized coordinated procedures to be followed in the event of an aircraft accident during special tactical exercises held at the airport on September 17. The exercises were part of the current Training Plan for the personnel of JSC SIA, the handling operators, and associated organizations on actions in the event of non-routine, failure and emergency situations for 2020.
During the exercise, joint actions of the crisis center and procedures for SIA Search and Rescue Flights Support Service teams to assess emergencies in cooperation with responsible government organizations were finalized, including the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Rostransnadzor (Federal Transportation Inspection Service), the Federal Air Transport Agency, the Prosecutor’s Office, the Investigative Committee, the EC ATM Center and the Disaster Medicine Center.
According to the exercise scenario, “After landing on runway-3 at Sheremetyevo Airport, the aircraft’s left engine caught fire and heavy smoke filled the passenger compartment. The PIC decided to conduct an emergency evacuation of passengers.”
The first ones to arrive at the scene of the hypothetical incident were the crews of the search-and-rescue service and the airport’s medical teams. The task of the rescue crews was to extinguish the fire on the aircraft and spilled fuel, assist in the evacuation of passengers and crew from the aircraft, conduct research on board the aircraft, identify victims and transfer them to medical teams, provide first aid, cordon off the scene of the accident, arrange for passengers to be collected on the airfield, and transport the uninjured to the airport terminal.
After being transported from the airfield, the passengers were provided with the necessary medical assistance and counseling at the terminal, and appropriate measures were taken to inform and assist the greeters and relatives of passengers. Further, investigating authorities at the scene prepared the aircraft for removal from the airfield. More than 100 people and 40 pieces of equipment were involved in the exercise.
The exercise tested the capabilities of modern fire and rescue equipment assigned to the Search and Rescue Flight Support Service of Sheremetyevo. Today the Service is fully equipped with the necessary equipment and vehicles, as well as highly qualified personnel. More than 60 search and rescue personnel are on duty around the clock in each shift who are capable of managing Category 9 fire protection of RWY-1, 2, 3 and fire protection of airport infrastructure facilities.
