Columbus Airport Partner with Local Emergency Response Teams for a
Downed Aircraft Emergency Exercise

February 10, 2022

Press Release
From: Sonya Overton, Director of Marketing & Air Service Development
Submitted On: 10 February 2022

COLUMBUS, GA February 2022- Friday, February 11 at 6 p.m. the Columbus Airport along with responding fire departments: Columbus Fire EMS, Fort Benning, and CussetaChattahoochee County Fire Department and other agencies will perform a downed aircraft emergency exercise.

The participating emergency responses teams plan to mock an emergency aircraft crash that catches on fire with possible mock casualties in a wooded area in the Columbus, Georgia region any additional details due to the responding firefighters are not yet known.

The exercise will consist of an initial radio call from a helicopter advising of possible trouble. It will later escalate to verified trouble after the last transmission, ATC will report a loss of radar contact somewhere around Spencer High School located at 1000 Fort Benning Rd, Columbus, GA 31903.

“Exercises like these are common in our industry, as aircraft safety is our priority, we rely on our community partners to assist in these types of scenarios keeping us all on our toes.” Says Chief Andre Parker of the Columbus Airport. “These exercises are crucial to ensure that all departments understand what to do and how to respond in an emergency.”

The airport is a public use airport in Columbus Georgia located at 3250 W. Britt David Road servicing the community with commercial airline and general aviation service.