The Columbia Metropolitan Airport is conducting a full-scale emergency exercise today (Thursday) from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. AirSafe 2019 will be held on the airport property adjacent to Platt Springs Road.

Be aware that AirSafe 2019 is a practice drill. It should not alarm those who see it. There is expected to be fire, smoke, and emergency vehicles near the airport Thursday morning as a part of the exercise.

Despite the drill, airline operations will continue at the airport as usual. There will be no disruptions to flight schedules as a result.

“Providing safety for our travelers is our number one priority”, said Mike Gula, CAE’s Executive Director. “Our team takes this exercise very seriously and has worked hard to address various scenarios in our emergency plan. Many thanks to our mutual aid partners for their collaboration with this exercise as it provides the opportunity for each of us to practice response to a real-life emergency.”

AirSafe 2019 is a joint effort between the Columbia Metropolitian Airport, and other emergency, law enforcement and federal agencies.

The Federal Aviation Administration requires that commercial airports conduct an emergency exercise every three years, to test the effectiveness of their emergency plans. The exercise, which will include a simulated aircraft accident, will provide the airport emergency personnel, airport staff, and airline personnel the opportunity to put the emergency plan into action.