First responders from several Northern Colorado agencies will participate in a full-scale emergency drill at Northern Colorado Regional Airport beginning at 8 a.m., Friday, Sept. 5, intended to gauge their response to a simulated commercial aircraft crash.

Airport staff, Loveland Fire Rescue Authority, City of Loveland and Loveland Police Department staff, Thompson Valley Emergency Services, Poudre Fire Authority and Windsor-Severance Fire Protection District will participate in the drill, which is designed to present a no-fault, no-inspection learning opportunity for the airport and responding organizations to examine the unique aspects of response to an aircraft accident as well as other large-scale emergencies.

As a result, feedback is gathered to help improve emergency plans, foster collaboration among responding agencies, and ensure regulatory compliance.

The drill intentionally simulates a real-time emergency, so those living or traveling near the airport can expect to see a large presence of emergency vehicles, flashing lights, and a scene that resembles first responders at an airport incident. The public is being notified to mitigate concerns.

Due to safety concerns, the drill is closed to the public, but the airport will continue with its daily operations.

To minimize impact on the community, first responder vehicles traveling to and from the exercise crash site will be staged at the airport, rather than traveling from their assigned base locations. 

Stay informed, sign up for alerts

September is National Emergency Preparedness Month. If this were a real city-wide emergency, the City of Loveland and critical responding organizations would distribute information through their websites, social media pages and through NOCO Alert notifications. Residents are encouraged to sign up for alerts or update their existing registration by visiting NOCOAlert.org.