Flames, volunteer actors used for emergency drill at Louisville's international airport

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Hundreds of volunteers and first responders ran a drill Wednesday at Louisville's international airport to prepare for an emergency.

The scene was chaotic at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. A prop plane was lit on fire to simulate a collision with a car.

Volunteer actors portrayed passengers from the plane with injuries lying around with painted-on wounds as well as EMS crews responding accordingly.

A helicopter was also expected to fly in to take part in the drill.

Airport safety officials said the Federal Aviation Administration requires this drill every three years, and it's effective at bolstering the airport's preparedness for a disaster.

Josh Grimes, the director of public safety at the airport, said the volunteer actors add a sense of urgency, creating "a little bit more realism."

"Fortunately, it helps the responders be able to put their training to the test," he said.

He said a new part this year is a multimillion-dollar investment into the airport emergency operations center. Now local, state and federal agencies have access to updated technology for emergencies.

And he says it's not just a run through. Evaluators are watching the response and taking notes and offering tips for improvement.