Castries, Saint Lucia — November 19, 2025 — The Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority successfully held its biennial full-scale emergency response drill on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at the George F. L. Charles Airport (GFLCA), simulating an aircraft emergency to evaluate the airport’s emergency plan and operational readiness, in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. 

The exercise assessed procedures for communication, command, and coordination among multiple response agencies during a major aviation incident. It seeks to improve collaboration and evaluate the overall readiness of the airport and its partners. 

Exercise Director Mr. Aubert Regis explained that the simulation was a crucial assessment of theairport’s emergency response capabilities.

“The exercise allowed us to activate the airport’s emergency response plan and evaluate how efficiently our agencies would respond in a real-life situation. The objective is not only to test our response  capacity  but  also  to  strengthen  collaboration  and  improve overall  performance,” Mr. Regis said. 

Over 100 participants—including emergency responders, volunteers, mutual aid partners, and aviation stakeholders—attended. The exercise demonstrated the capabilities of the GFLCA Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which serves as the primary hub for coordinating recovery and restoring normal operations after an incident. 

Acting Airport Manager, Ms. Alexandria Alexander, emphasized the importance of the simulation as a proactive step to ensure preparedness.

“Today’s exercise provided an opportunity for all response agencies to evaluate their performance, improve coordination, and ensure that in the event of an actual aircraft incident, the response will be swift, efficient, and effective,” Ms. Alexander said.

The scenario involved a mock aircraft crash to the north of the runway threshold near the hangar, with simulated passengers and crew. Responders practised activating emergency protocols, coordinating rescue and triage efforts, and managing communications with supporting agencies and medical teams. A formal debrief will follow to review lessons learned and identify areas for improvement.

Participating agencies included the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), the Ministry of Health, Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (ARFF), the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF), Ports Police, Owen King European Union Hospital (OKEU), the Saint Lucia Red Cross, airline representatives, and airport personnel.

Chief Evaluator Mr. Andrew George praised the collaborative effort shown during the exercise.

“We assessed everything from scene management to communication and response timelines. The coordination observed among agencies was very positive and aligned with international emergency standards,” he said.

The Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) sincerely thanks all volunteers, evaluators, external agencies, and the staff of George F. L. Charles Airport (GFLCA) for their dedication and professionalism. SLASPA also expresses appreciation to the public for their understanding and cooperation during this important safety exercise.