CITY OF SPRINGFIELD, ABRAHAM LINCOLN CAPITAL AIRPORT, MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER AND ST. JOHN’S HOSPITAL TO CONDUCT PLANE CRASH TRAINING EXERCISE WEDNESDAY

for more information:
Ernie Slottag 789-2235

Public should be advised of drill. Airport service is not affected.

Officials with the City of Springfield and the Springfield Airport Authority will be joining over 30 local, state, federal and private agencies to conduct a response to a simulated aircraft accident on Wednesday, May 4th. This drill meets Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport’s Federal Aviation Administration mandate to conduct a full-scale exercise once every three years.  

The training exercise will be conducted at the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport beginning at 9:40 a.m., then moves to Lincoln Park at approximately 10:00 a.m. The exercise will conclude by 12:30 p.m. No airport area roads will be closed during this time for the purpose of this exercise.

Motorists in the area of the Capital Airport and Lincoln Park on Wednesday morning should be advised that multiple emergency services vehicles will be included in the drill activity. This exercise will not impact any air carrier service or general aviation activity nor will it create any additional traffic near the terminal facility or the General Aviation Charlie Ramp. With the exception of media representatives and the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport customers and vendors, persons not involved in the drill are requested to stay away from the exercise locations.

Nearly 250 people will be taking part in the drill, which includes the responding emergency services and partner agencies, volunteer victims as well as personnel with Memorial Medical Center and St. John’s Hospital.

MEDIA NOTE:        The training exercise will begin at approximately 9:40 a.m. on Wednesday, May 4^th at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, and will conclude by 12:30 p.m. the same day at Lincoln Park. Volunteers participating in the exercise will begin arriving around 7:30 a.m. at Lincoln Park. Emergency response vehicles will arrive to Lincoln Park around 10 a.m. Media can attend all areas of the drill and may cover this exercise but must have parking credentials and a safety vest to differentiate themselves from the emergency response and role-playing participants at this drill. Safety vests and parking credentials will be available today and Wednesday morning from Municipal Center East.

Participating agencies in this exercise include:

America Ambulance Company
American Connection
American Red Cross
Chatham Fire Department
City Water, Light and Power
Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.)
Federal Aviation Administration - Airway Facilities
Federal Aviation Administration - Flight Safety District Office
Federal Aviation Administration - Springfield Air Traffic Control
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Illinois Air National Guard 183rd Fighter Wing
Illinois Division of Aeronautics
Illinois State Police Air Operations
Illinois State Police District 9
Lifestar Ambulance Company
Lincoln Land Community College-Aviation Maintenance Program
Memorial Medical Center
Salvation Army
Sangamon County Central Dispatch
Sangamon County Coroner’s Office
Sangamon County Office of Emergency Management
Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office
Sherman Fire Department
Springfield Airport Authority
Springfield Fire Department
Springfield High School
Springfield Mass Transit District
Springfield Office of Homeland Security
Springfield Office of Public Works
Springfield Park District
Springfield Police Department
St. John’s Hospital
StandardAero Aviation
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Transportation Security Administration
United Airlines