YVR's annual emergency drill tests response to simulated aircraft crash

Vancouver International Airport conducted its annual full-scale emergency training scenario on Monday, Sept. 15, simulating an arriving international flight landing short of the north runway.

More than 400 personnel from 25 agencies and over 175 volunteers participated in the drill. Volunteer "travellers" were picked up by a 100-foot Canadian Coast Guard hovercraft from the fake crash site on West Dyke Road and transported to the Coast Guard's Sea Island Station, where they were triaged. Those not requiring medical attention were brought to the Canada Border Services Agency's arrival transfer facility for immigration processing and family reunification.

YVR chief operations officer Andy Margolis said the airport conducts smaller weekly exercises as well. "The ecosystem of the airport is very complex, lots of layers, so we need to practice them together on a regular basis," he told reporters. The airport has emergency teams on call 365 days a year; most are required to reach the airport within 30 minutes of activation, depending on the incident.

The Coast Guard's Sea Island Station operates 24/7 and is responsible for triaging people, casualty tracking, transport, and communication with other agencies during rescues. Bruce Briggs, acting senior director of fleet muster with Canadian Coast Guard Station Sea Island, said the hovercraft's speed and amphibious capability allow it to cover a large area quickly in mudflats and shallow water. "It's got four engines, so lots of power; its speed and amphibious capability are its greatest assets in this area," Briggs said.

Despite being in a plane emergency, passengers arriving on international flights are still required to go through immigration with CBSA officers to fulfill national security and public safety mandates.