Salina Regional Airport to conduct full-scale emergency exercise Sept. 15

The Salina Airport Authority, in coordination with local emergency response agencies and airport partners, will conduct a full-scale emergency exercise at Salina Regional Airport on Tuesday, Sept. 15.

The exercise is designed to test the Airport Emergency Plan and give participating agencies an opportunity to practice their response to a simulated aircraft emergency. It will involve emergency vehicles, personnel, equipment and simulated emergency activity on airport property.

Members of the public may notice an increased presence of fire, law enforcement, emergency medical and other response vehicles traveling to and from the airport during the exercise. There is no actual emergency.

Full-scale emergency exercises are a component of the airport’s emergency preparedness program and are required periodically for airports certificated under Federal Aviation Administration Part 139 regulations. The exercise allows airport staff and community response agencies to evaluate communication, coordination, incident command, emergency response procedures and other elements of the Airport Emergency Plan in a realistic environment.

“A full-scale exercise puts our plans and training into action under realistic conditions,” said David Sorell, director of operations for the Salina Airport Authority. “It gives responders the opportunity to work through everything from the initial notification and deployment of resources to incident command, victim care and recovery. After the exercise, we’ll evaluate what worked well and where we can make adjustments to strengthen our response.”

“Emergency preparedness at an airport extends well beyond the airport itself,” said Pieter Miller, C.M., executive director of the Salina Airport Authority. “We rely on strong partnerships with first responders, healthcare providers, law enforcement and other community organizations. Bringing those partners together for an exercise like this strengthens those relationships and helps ensure Salina is prepared to respond as a community when it matters most.”

Participating organizations are expected to include Saline County Emergency Management, Salina Regional Health Center, Salina Fire Department, Salina Police Department, Saline County Sheriff’s Department, Central Kansas Mental Health, K-State Salina, SkyWest Airlines, the Transportation Security Administration and the Salvation Army.

The exercise is scheduled to begin at approximately 1:30 p.m. and conclude at approximately 4 p.m. Airport operations will be coordinated throughout the exercise to minimize impacts on normal airport activity.

Source: Salina Airport Authority press release, Sept. 10, 2026.