Logan Preparing For Emergency Drill

Hundreds To Take Part In 'Operation Ready'

POSTED: 6:33 am EDT October 26, 2007
UPDATED: 7:06 am EDT October 26, 2007
[link to www.wmur.com]

BOSTON -- Officials at Logan International Airport are preparing for something they hope never happens: a major airplane collision on the tarmac.

NewsCenter 5's Gail Huff reported that the mass casualty drill will be the largest ever carried out at the local airport.

Hundreds will take part in a drill, called "Operation Ready 2007."

Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m., they will simulate a runway collision involving two passenger planes with hundreds of people on board.

So, if you see helicopters hovering over Logan and dozens of fire trucks rushing to the airport, don't be alarmed. The massive drill will involve 1,000 emergency personnel.

Seventy ambulances will rush to the scene and they will work with 13 area hospitals to get the 500 "victims" treated and transported.

The idea is to see how quickly and efficiently the response can be carried out.

Logan is also testing the media team to see how well information gets relayed to the public.