Santa Barbara Airport Triennial Full-Scale Emergency Exercise
The Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) Triennial Full-Scale Emergency Exercise will take place this Thursday, September 15, 2022, between 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. north of the main Runway 7/25. Along with the increased emergency responder traffic, people traveling along Hollister Avenue between Aero Camino and Los Carneros during this time may see simulated smoke coming from the airfield area north of the main runway.
The purpose of the exercise is to give the airport, mutual aid partners and emergency responders the opportunity to train for a real aircraft emergency in a safe and controlled environment. This live exercise will be conducted in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration requirements.
Agencies participating in this year’s drill include:
- City of Santa Barbara Airport, Fire, and Police Departments
- City of Santa Barbara Office of Emergency Services
- Santa Barbara County Fire, Sheriff, Coroner’s and Office of Emergency Services
- Carpinteria, Montecito, and Summerland Fire Departments
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Transportation Security Administration
- American Red Cross
- American Medical Response
- California Highway Patrol
- United Airlines
- Signature Flight Support
- UCSB Campus Police
- Easy Lift
- MTD
- Local students role-playing emergency “victim” volunteers
- Local community members role-playing emergency “victim” volunteers
SBA is required to maintain an Airport Emergency Plan. This plan outlines the response procedures for Airport personnel and mutual aid partners that must effectively respond to and manage emergency situations that occur on Airport property. Federal law requires that this plan be tested with a mock full-scale aircraft emergency every thirty-six consecutive calendar months.
Local media can learn first-hand how emergency organizations would respond to a major aircraft emergency on the Airport.
Media vehicles can be parked on Cook Place adjacent to Hangar 2. A representative from the City of Santa Barbara Fire Department will provide background information, briefings as the scenario unfolds, and answer questions. Members of the media will be escorted to the simulated crash scene to cover the emergency exercise by Airport staff.