“The BVIAA is committed to ensuring that safety and service is our highest priority. Exercises like these assist the BVIAA in building strong collaborations with external agencies thereby improving preparedness, and ensuring the responsibility for providing safe, secure and an efficient experience for all of our airport users. On behalf of the team at the Authority a special thank you to all the persons that participated in the successful execution of the drills; such as the students from the Elmore Stoutt High School and all other volunteers who performed their duties as casualties,” Mr Lettsome said in a Government Information Service (GIS) press release on December 21, 2022.

The simulation commenced at 2100hrs (9:00 p.m.) of a scenario of a redirected aircraft that crashed in an emergency landing attempt on the runway at EIS with 15 persons on board. The BVIAA team included the BVIAA Fire and Rescue Officers; Air Traffic Controllers; Operations Personnel; Security; Management; and other Departments. Participating external agencies included, the Department for Disaster Management (DDM), the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA); Virgin Islands Fire and Rescue Service (VIFRS) and the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF).

Evaluation

Meanwhile, the simulation exercise was evaluated for responder’s performance, response time, preparedness and execution to include the practicality of the BVIAA’s safety and regulatory procedures.

The evaluation team included officials from: DDM in the persons of Director Jasen Penn and Mr Cecil Jeffery Jr; RVIPF retired Inspector Ivor Fraser; Air Traffic Control Officer retired Mr Curnal P. Fahie; BVIAA Firefighter retired Mr Rawle Cupid and BVIHSA Disaster Preparedness Manager Mr Rodney Brathwaite.

The BVIAA said it remains committed to providing a superior, reliable, seamless airport arrival and departure experience at all its properties.