Easton Airport held an important briefing for Talbot County first responders this fall. Easton Airport manager Micah Risher conducted the Aircraft Emergencies training which covered ways these emergencies can be unique and how best to respond to certain situations that may arise in the county.
First Responders were given an overview of the Easton Airport’s infrastructure and shown where staging areas are in the event an emergency were declared. Mr. Risher went through a series of slides that outlined the safety features that are in place at ESN.
Once responders were briefed on the basics, real world scenarios were replayed for the group that covered what it’s like responding to blown tires, mechanical failures, and other problems planes may experience requiring an emergency response. Mr. Risher was keen to explain the differences between emergencies where pilots have a lot of time to come up with a plan and situations that happen more quickly. He also pointed out that not all aircraft that experience emergencies will be flying into or out of Easton Airport. The region has a lot of traffic unrelated to ESN, but having the Air Traffic Control Tower and experienced aviation professionals right in Talbot County helps the pilots and responders during a crisis.
“It is important for our first responders to have an understanding of the airport and types of aircraft emergencies,” Mr. Risher said. “Incidents do not happen frequently, but when they do occur there will be a wide range of factors to consider. Talking through those situations now and having the conversation before anything happens makes a huge impact on our readiness capabilities.”