ROCK SPRINGS ─ The Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport will conduct a triennial full-scale mass casualty emergency response exercise April 12, at 10 a.m.

This exercise is hosted in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration regulations requiring a simulated mass casualty incident. A mass casualty incident is defined as an event that overwhelms local healthcare resources and capabilities, characterized by a large number of
casualties requiring immediate medical attention, often due to a sudden, large-scale disaster. The goal of this exercise is to implement and test the airport’s emergency plan utilizing responding emergency agencies, airport tenants and others having responsibilities under the plan.

The drill is conducted as a training exercise for the participating agencies and is conducted as realistically as possible incorporating special effects, trauma makeup, dozens of rescue and law enforcement professionals and more than 40 actors to achieve its goal. According to the airport, the success of this drill is directly tied to the number of volunteers that are available to serve as victims, onlookers, friends, family, and 911 callers.

“This important exercise is the culmination of year around emergency planning and training not only by airport personnel, but by all of the local mutual aid agencies that support the Airport’s efforts to be ready for the worst,” Airport Director Devon Brubaker said. “The community can help us through their willingness to volunteer for this exercise.”

The drill will be led by Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport in coordination with local and regional organizations.

Those interested in signing up to serve as a volunteers can do so here. The deadline for volunteers to sign up is April 4. Those who volunteer should be prepared to arrive at the airport by 7 a.m. so that they can be processed in time for the 10 a.m. drill.