Emergency Exercise Oryx Kilo 2023 evaluated the effectiveness of external agencies’ response in accessing DOH’s new western development area and the communication processes, procedures and methods in working with valued partners, stakeholders and government agencies. It involved more than 500 personnel, including volunteers from various agencies and departments.
The exercise ,which aimed to test the airport’s preparedness to respond to an incident, was completed in cooperation with government agencies, partners, and stakeholders, including Qatar Airways Group, Airline Operators Committee, Airport Customs, Ministry of Public Health, Hamad Medical Corporation Ambulance Service, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense, National Command Center, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Qatar Air Accident Investigation, Qatar Red Crescent Society – Emergency Medical Services, and Qatar Civil Aviation Authority.
Michael McMillan, senior vice-president operations and facilities management at MATAR, said: “Conducting full-scale exercises along with partners and stakeholders allows us to constantly test and evaluate our operations, as the industry and our environment in continuously evolving.”
The exercise took place at night. Its scenario focused on the air traffic control’s prompt notification response which identified an aircraft undercarriage collapsing upon landing on the runway, resulting in the aircraft slipping off the runway, leading to a fuel tank leak and fire. The incident tested the Hamad International Airport’s emergency response in firefighting, search and rescue, triaging and medical assistance, providing humanitarian support to the air accident victims and communicating with friends and family of potentially affected passengers and crew.
Conducting emergency exercises is part of MATAR’s commitment and compliance with the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s regulations to ensure the airport management systems and emergency preparedness meets the requirements of the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority Aerodrome Licensing Standards.
