For immediate release: April 29, 2024
406-388-8321 Ext 280
Jake.Simpson@bozemanairport.com
Kevin Larsen, Gallatin County Emergency Management
406-548-0111
kevin@readygallatin.com
Bozeman
Yellowstone International Airport, Local Emergency Responders to Conduct
Full-Scale Aircraft Accident Exercise on May 4
*Reporters are invited to cover the training on
Saturday, May 4. If you’d like to attend, please RSVP to michaela.borovac@bozemanairport.com
by Thursday, May 2. Once you RSVP, detailed directions will be emailed to you.*
On Saturday, May 4, 2024, Bozeman Yellowstone International
Airport (BZN) in conjunction with Gallatin County Emergency Management will
conduct a full-scale aircraft disaster exercise on airport grounds.
This exercise will test on-scene coordination between the
airport, airline, hospital and emergency response personnel from across the
Gallatin Valley. It is another opportunity for these agencies to collaborate to
improve emergency plans and response protocols, all for the benefit of our
county’s residents and visitors.
Multiple agencies, business and organizations partner with
airport staff for this exercise, including Bozeman Health, Central Valley Fire
District, Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, Gallatin County 911, Hyalite Fire
District, Salvation Army, Red Cross and numerous others.
Due to this exercise, from
10 AM to 2 PM on May 4, folks will see an increased presence of emergency response vehicles
at the airport. These will be for exercise purposes only and will not impact
airline or air traffic at the airport. Please do not call 911 to report.
“This exercise gives us the opportunity to test
and revise our airport emergency plans as we continue to grow, not only as an
airport, but also as a community,” said Jake Simpson, BZN Senior Director of
Operations and Maintenance. “We rely heavily on our partnerships in Gallatin
County when it comes to large scale emergencies and this exercise lets us
strengthen those relationships.”
Kevin Larsen, Gallatin County Emergency Management’s
operations and training manager added: “Gallatin County Emergency Management
strives to maintain a prepared and resistant community, and to support
coordinated interagency responses to incidents and events throughout our
county. This exercise is a great way to test plans, improve communications at
numerous levels, build capability, and challenge assumptions. Collaboration
with our emergency response partners builds community resiliency, and better
prepares us to face a variety of disasters, both natural and man-made.”
The exercise also meets the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) requirement for the airport to conduct a full-scale emergency exercise
every three years in addition to annual table-top drills.
