Westchester County Airport Simulated Plane Crash Is Only Drill

HARRISON, NY — Dozens of emergency vehicles and billowing smoke at the Westchester County Airport would normally be cause for concern, but on the morning of May 1, the ominous looking scene will be a routine FAA-mandated training exercise.

The Westchester County Police Department’s Airport Precinct and first responders from dozens of agencies will take part in an emergency response drill at the airport. Fire, EMS and police vehicles will stage along Route 120 prior to the exercise, which is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.

The safety exercises are required every three years by the FAA. The drills are intended to test the airport emergency response plan. The drill will include fire departments in the region that might be called to the scene of an actual plane crash, as well as the Department of Emergency Services, FBI, American Red Cross and airport personnel.

In this case, the simulated training scenario will recreate as closely as possible the emergency response to the crash of a commercial jet.

The airport will remain open to air traffic and passengers during the exercises, but the excitement caused by the faux emergency could make air travel feel slightly less routine this weekend.