Emergency crews mobilize on TPA’s airfield for mass casualty exercise

"It takes a lot of resources and an hour of really hard work, but once we put all the pieces together, it's smooth sailing," said Tampa Fire Rescue Chief Barbara Tripp. "Every year, we strive to improve our response."

Behind the scenes, simulated loved ones of those on the flight gathered at a family reunification center, seeking information from airline and airport employees participating in the exercise. Meanwhile, in the Airport's Emergency Operations Center, employees representing each area of the Airport's operation convened with representatives from other agencies and the airline to monitor and strategize the ongoing response.

"This exercise was by the far the best Triennial I have seen," said TPA's Chief Operating Officer John Tiliacos. "We had over 150 volunteers who dedicated a significant portion of their day to make this exercise as realistic as possible, and the capabilities of our Tampa Fire Rescue ARFF team, Airport Police, Airport Operations and Emergency Management, Tampa Police, U.S. Coast Guard, and community partners was on full display. I couldn't be prouder of how well everyone executed."

Lessons learned from Wednesday's response will be reviewed and integrated into future emergency response plans that the Airport hopes it will never need to implement.

TPA's teams train year-round for a variety of emergencies, with the next full-scale Triennial Mass Casualty Exercise scheduled to take place in 2028.