When the sirens wailed at Kahului Airport, it wasn't for an actual emergency but a carefully orchestrated drill involving nearly 100 public school students, Maui's first responders, and the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation. The triennial exercise, required for Federal Aviation Administration certification, was conducted on September 20, 2024, to test disaster preparedness and response at the airport, often referred to by its code OGG. According to the Governor of Hawaiʻi's Office, it featured a simulated aircraft fire incident involving a donated Boeing 737 Max 8 from United Airlines.
During the simulation, school students from Maui High School and Baldwin High School donned the caps of passengers, complete with first responders attending to the 'injured' ones on the tarmac. Meanwhile, emergency crews raced against time to quench the fictitious flames and rescue inflatable manikins posing as passengers trapped inside the craft. From their quarters, as the fictional scenario unfolded, airport firefighters hastened the craft, where checks were conducted and manikins were extricated.
For those managing crises behind the scenes, a mock emergency operations center was established. Key personnel from OGG security, Maui County’s Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), and various airline and tourism executives engaged in simulated responses, as reported by the Office of the Governor. This controlled chaos served to evaluate the strength and efficiency of the airport's emergency systems under duress, fulfilling FAA compliance needs.
Maui County firefighters joined the ARFF in their rescue efforts, while American Medical Response provided ambulances and staff to assist with the 'airport disaster' in a coordinated response. As mentioned in the official announcement, exercises like these are not new; similar rehearsals took place last fall at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole. These drills stand as a testament to Hawai'i's commitment to safety and preparedness in the face of potential aviation emergencies, ensuring that when a real call to action comes, a well-orchestrated response is ready.
