Aviation Students in Mock Disaster Drill at JFK

May 1, 2017

Professor Jeanne Radigan “wounded” at JFK

FSC aviation students, their faces and bodies smeared with fake blood, were recently among the more than 150 volunteers who played the role of wounded airline commuters as 250 real-life emergency responders from the Port Authority, FBI, TSA, State Police, Red Cross, National Guard, FDNY and NYPD converged on the scene.

The Port Authority performed the three-hour emergency response drill at the American Airlines terminal at JFK, which involved a plane and fuel truck, with simulated casualties and smoke. The full-scale drills are required by the FAA every three years and help the responders understand what a real emergency might feel like.

“Students were able to gain a much better appreciation of the coordination that is necessary to handle such situations,” said Jeanne Radigan, associate professor in the aviation department, who also participated in the drill.