Kern County Airports Department holds emergency response exercise

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Kern County Airports Department is holding a large-scale emergency response exercise at Meadows Field Airport.

The exercise is happening Nov. 18 and will involve a simulated plane crash with victims. KCSO wants people to be aware that numerous emergency vehicles will on the airfield for the exercise and there will be actors playing as victims getting transported from the crash.

Participating agencies include Kern County Airports Department, Kern County Sheriff’s Office, Kern County Fire Department, Kern County Fire - Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), California Highway Patrol, Kern County Emergency Management Services, Kern County Public Health, Golden Empire Transit (GET) Bus, Hall Ambulance, Civil Air Patrol, Bakersfield Community College, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

The goal of the exercise is to familiarize emergency personnel with the limitations of working within the restrictions of a commercial airport environment and to identify potential strengths and shortfalls. Focus is on communication and coordination between different responding agencies that would respond in such an event.