Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport to host airport emergency plan exercise Tuesday

Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, along with various emergency agencies in the area, will hold a full-scale airport emergency plan exercise at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

This full-scale exercise is conducted in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations that require an airport operator to conduct live drills on airport property every three years.

The exercise will provide the opportunity for various agencies in the area to work collectively to enhance response skills for aviation mass casualty incidents. The emergency scenario will simulate the crash of an Airbus A319 that crashes in a field southeast of runway 19.

The drill will have no impact on routine airport operations, and passenger announcements will be made in the airport terminal indicating that the disaster drill is underway. Area residents and visitors should expect to see emergency vehicles and other official traffic engaged in the exercise, and controlled fire and smoke may also be visible.

This story was originally published May 15, 2017 at 4:23 PM with the headline "Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport to host airport emergency plan exercise Tuesday."