Mangalore: Emergency services rush to douse fire at airport, rescue 'victims'!



Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (BG)

Mangalore, Apr 29: There was a panic of sorts at Mangalore International Airport here on Tuesday April 29, with thick black smoke billowing out and screeching sirens of fire tenders and ambulance tearing through the air. At first sight, it may have easily been mistaken for a catastrophe, but thankfully it wasn't anything of the sort.

It was nothing but a mock drill to test emergency services teams' preparedness to prevent or deal with disasters.


A full scale emergency mock exercise was carried out in the airport premises. It is mandatory to conduct such drills once every two years and was organized by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) along with CISF, airline operators, and other external agencies like city fire brigade, health department, hospitals, and police personnel.

A small model airplane was set alight and fire, ambulance, and other emergency services were informed. All of them rushed to the spot and carried out the rescue operations in a genuine and natural manner.

Explaining the mock drill afterwards to media persons, H S Varadarajan, chief of Karnataka fire and safety services department, Mangalore division, said, “We received the call that an air crash has occurred at Mangalore Airport and we rushed to the spot with the fire engines and staff. We carried out the mock drill to ensure thoroughness in fighting such a fire disaster. It is mandatory to carry out such operations once in two years.”

Addressing the media, J T Radhakrishna, airport director, Mangalore International Airport, said, “An aircraft model was used in this exercise. The situation imitated the crash of an aircraft with about 67 passengers just outside the airport premises. AAI fire brigade attended and city fire brigade joined in fire extinguishing and rescue services. The 'victims' were picked up by the hospital teams for treatment. CISF/ police personnel extended their service in putting up barricades and the like.”

“The airport fire brigade and other associated officers from AAI, CISF, airline operators, city fire brigade, hospital team with doctors, ambulances from Wenlock Hospital, KMC Hospital, Father Muller Hospital, Unity Hospital, Yenepoya Hospital, and Primary Health Care Centre, Bajpe as well as police personnel participated,” he said.

“Since the air crash of May 2010, it has become even more critical to carry out mock exercises for efficacy and familiarization in handling such aircraft accidents by involving all the relevant external agencies,” added Radhakrishna.

The exercise was carried out with the co-operation of Manjunath, nodal officer, district disaster management committee and district administration. T F Moosa, JGM (ATC), and Nandakumar Koolath, AGM (ATC), were the nodal officers from AAI. M Balachandran, JGM (ATC), M M Francis, JGM (Elect), K Anbarasu, JGM (CNS), A N Srinivasa, DGM (Civil), Ajay Indran, AGM (ATC), Dhananjay Shanbhag, AM (FS), and airline station managers, Sudhir  Bhatt, Gladwin Mascarenhas, and Biddappa participated in the mock drill.
  

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Comment on this article

  • Ronald, mangalore

    Wed, Apr 30 2014

    I am sure all the fire department and team was told in advance about this mock drill so that set ready. If not it would have taken hours for the team to arrive if it was a totally unplanned disaster.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • AVINASH MONIS, DUBAI

    Wed, Apr 30 2014

    Good job..mock drill is very important,all people should know about this firefighting mock drill

    DisAgree Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dr Kusuma Kumari G, Nellore/Kodyadka

    Wed, Apr 30 2014

    Good such drills are conducted at the airport. Because accidents can happen anytime They come without warning!

    DisAgree Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ifthikhar, Mangalore / KSA

    Wed, Apr 30 2014

    This is for publicity stunt only. In the event of actual fire nobody will be there to rescue. Please expedite the ution of lengthening of the runway of the required 1 km enabling to land bigger aircraft which will eventually attract foreign airlines to Mangalore.

    DisAgree [7] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • mohammad, mangalore

    Wed, Apr 30 2014

    Yes, disaster recovery plans made after the disaster and losing precious 200 lives.

    DisAgree [7] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • musthafa, mangalore

    Wed, Apr 30 2014

    Finally, we Mangaloreans got a good quality fire force?!good vehicles, will they work well?

    DisAgree Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • sandeep, UAE

    Wed, Apr 30 2014

    Appreciate to organizer . It is well organized Emergency evacuation mock drill. Specially hands-off female nurse.

    DisAgree Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • A.RAHMAN, MANGALORE

    Wed, Apr 30 2014

    4 years after the crash airport authority finally awake.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Flavian, Mangalore/Kuwait

    Wed, Apr 30 2014



    Do not be so frustrated or pessimistic in attitude. We should learn to appreciate peoples efforts in organizing such an emergency mock drill or preparedness in the event of unforeseen calamity. Accidents and misfortunes may take place any time anywhere but providing whatever possible help and first aid needs would be very useful.

    We in Kuwait had such mock drill experience many times. Just imagine using stairs and climb sometimes 25 floors, but we had to flow discipline.

    DisAgree Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • Af, mangalore

    Wed, Apr 30 2014

    so stupid
    when real plan crash happened no one will come , this is life.
    this is like pouring water from sky when some is very thirsty.

    DisAgree [22] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Nanag shetty, kinnigoly ,oman

    Tue, Apr 29 2014

    Ridiculous !!,
    Perform it at a difficult inaccessible terrain and validate the system like ....evaluating the time taken by various support services to reach the spot.

    DisAgree [10] Agree [35] Reply Report Abuse

  • Charles D'Mello, Pangala

    Tue, Apr 29 2014

    Since media persons were there well in time, I feel it is a well informed mockery....!!!???

    DisAgree [5] Agree [39] Reply Report Abuse

  • HENRY MISQUITH, Bahrain

    Tue, Apr 29 2014

    Mock drills should conducted as surprise and how people behave and respond in such extreme and challenging circumstances...

    DisAgree [3] Agree [35] Reply Report Abuse

  • William Rodrigues, Milagres, Mangalore

    Tue, Apr 29 2014

    This kind of mock drill is very important for public awareness. Please keep it up.

    DisAgree [12] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shailesh, Bajpe

    Tue, Apr 29 2014

    very good job at least they are trying to give more protection well done but still our fire force should improve in their work.

    DisAgree [8] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Agnel, Udupi

    Tue, Apr 29 2014

    Nice to see, every incidents gives learning. But in reality firemen must use the (SCBA) self contained breathing apparatus because inside the airplane finishing materials made with polyethylene or polypropylene or ethylene benzene. when it burns it produces poisonous gas and if firemen gets a chance must stand in the opposite or crosswind direction.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • j.anata, Mangaluru / Bengaluru

    Tue, Apr 29 2014

    Well orchestrated effort by all agencies involved in the mock drill. This kind of effort is the need of the hour especially in an airport like Mangaluru. Safety & being prepared is always the right thing!

    DisAgree [6] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Matthew, Nitte

    Tue, Apr 29 2014

    Good that they are at least trying. But it is clear that our firemen are still lacking the basic full body fireproof suits and no smoke/Co2 masks. Secondly, as long as we rely on fire engines to ferry water, we will remain vulnerable. That is the reason why most countries make it mandatory that every street has multiple fire hydrants. Then again, so poor is our infrastructure that we dont have sewage let alone fire hydrants.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [31] Reply Report Abuse

  • Oliver, Udupi

    Tue, Apr 29 2014

    Very Good!This is what you call "Disaster Recovery Planning" this should be mandatory for every airport. You should always be prepared for an unplanned disaster.

    Good Job

    DisAgree [9] Agree [31] Reply Report Abuse

  • mohammed aslam, mangalore

    Wed, Apr 30 2014

    its a mock drill,if it is naturally happened means, fire brigade,police,media,too late to reach the place

    DisAgree [3] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Oliver, Udupi

    Wed, Apr 30 2014

    Ideally an airport should have a fire brigade team in-house, and dedicated to the airport facility. they should also have a police department and ambulance on board. these services should not be asked for from the local town or city. it has to be a part of the airport facility

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse


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Title: Mangalore: Emergency services rush to douse fire at airport, rescue 'victims'!



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