The Redmond Airport and Redmond Fire & Rescue hosted a full-scale emergency response drill on Wednesday, Oct. 19, that was designed to test the region’s emergency services.

The drill simulated an aircraft that skidded off the end of a runway and ejected passengers from the craft. Varying levels of emergency crews responded and performed triage to patients while a jet fuel fire burned nearby.

“It really helps test our abilities,” said Tom Mooney, fire marshal for Redmond Fire & Rescue. “Not only from a resource standpoint, but just to test our skills.”

The training provided an opportunity to practice dealing with injuries and environments that the fire department doesn’t normally encounter, Mooney said. That includes burn patients, he said.

Zach Bass, director of the Redmond Airport, said crews train for worst-case scenarios.

“Every time we do this it builds upon a knowledge base,” he said. “In case something does happen, you’re ready for it.”

Bass said that trainings also build relationships between different emergency response entities throughout the region, which can prove critical in the case of a full-scale response.

Emergency services that took part in the drill include fire departments from Black Butte Ranch, Bend, Crook County, Sisters-Camp Sherman, Sunriver and Crooked River Ranch. Other participants included the Redmond Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, St. Charles Health System, Oregon Health Authority, Life Flight, Air Link and the TSA. Representatives from Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson County health departments were also in attendance.

“Everybody in Central Oregon works really well together across the board, especially on a major situation,” Bass said. “We’ve had no issues really at all, other than just making sure everybody knows what they’re doing.”

“We’re really lucky in Central Oregon that all the parties work really well together,” said Mooney.

The Federal Aviation Administration requires airports to conduct a realistic commercial passenger aircraft disaster training drill every three years.

More than 30 participants acted as passengers who required a a wide variety of treatment. Those actors were all members of the Redmond Proficiency Academy’s drama department. They portrayed victims who emergency crews had to treat, transport, identify and and reunify with family members.