Entebbe Airport shows it can handle crashes

The usually quiet Entebbe town was paralyzed Friday morning when the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) conducted a fire drill at the airport.

It was a simulation of an aircraft crash, and the expected response from all bodies concerned in such an event.  Grade B Hospital in Entebbe, Nsambya Hospital, Rubaga Hospital, International Hospital Kampala, The Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, Aviation Police and Airlines were involved in the drill.

The Police Airwing, Uganda Peoples Defence Airforce and Handling Companies at Entebbe Airport also participated.

According to Ingine Ingunduura, Manager Public Affairs CAA, the International Civil Aviation Organisation regulations require each international airport in the world to conduct such emergency preparedness exercises on a regular basis so as to rehearse and perfect rescue efforts in the unfortunate occurrence of an accident.

Independent auditors will after the exercise issue a report and recommendations for implementation by CAA.

According to CAA, “the full scale exercise to test Entebbe International Airports emergency readiness kicked off at 10am and involved simulation of an accident in which a “Red Squirrel Airlines” (pseudo name) plane with 180 people on board crashed and caught fire while landing.

“The exercise assumed that some people lost their lives and a number of survivors were critically injured sparking off an emergency situation in which fire fighters and all the other rescue agencies swung into action to save lives.”

“The Civil Aviation Authoritys Fire Fighting and Rescue Services personnel put down the ensuing fire while medics from various hospitals were immediately summoned.”

“Doctors and nurses accessed the site and took care of the “victims”, rushing the critically injured to Entebbes Grade B Hospital, International Hospital Kampala (IHK), Nsambya and Rubaga Hospitals.”