Pearson airport stages simulated plane crash as part of emergency exercise

Pearson Airport staged a full-scale emergency exercise on Saturday morning.

The airport says approximately 400 members of the airport community, partners and volunteers were involved in a simulated plane crash around the area of Derry Road just west of Airport Road.

Peel police along with Mississauga Fire and both Peel Region and Toronto paramedic services also took part in the simulated emergency response which is required by Transport Canada.

Last year at this time, emergency responders took part in an exercise involving 300 volunteers playing the part of protesters, blocking an access road and testing the response to a security breach. It was the first in-person security event since the pandemic began.

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority typically runs one full scale and one tabletop exercise per year to test protocols, procedures, communications and planning for emergency and/or security related incidents.