First responders participate in mass casualty exercise at Colorado Springs Airport

COLORADO SPRINGS — Emergency responders participated in an exercise near the Colorado Springs Airport Wednesday that involved smoke and fire.

"We're prepared for this and we look forward to it," said Greg Phillips, Director of Aviation at the Colorado Springs Airport. "We look forward to working with all of our emergency partners and having a great exercise. It gives us a chance to make sure we all know how to communicate and work together."

Officials with the City of Colorado Springs said a mass casualty response exercise will be conducted with the Colorado Springs Airport, Pikes Peak Emergency Management and other agencies, including:

• Peterson Air Force Base Aircraft Rescue Firefighting
• Colorado Springs Police Department
• Colorado Springs Fire Department
• Colorado Springs Communications
• American Medical Response (AMR)
• Penrose Main Hospital
• Penrose St. Francis
• Children’s Hospital
• Salvation Army

The city said people would see smoke, fire and several emergency vehicles from 7 a.m. to noon. This exercise did not impact airport operations and was been modified to follow COVID-19 guidelines.

This exercise is required by the Federal Aviation Administration every three years with the last exercise conducted in 2017 at the airport.