Hazmat Drill at Spirit of St. Louis Airport Earns Fire District High Marks

By Carmelo Turdo

A hazardous material drill, involving a simulated downed aircraft, was conducted on the Air Associates ramp at Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield Monday.  Vehicles and crews from the Monarch Fire Protection District responded to the call just after 10:00am, assembled on the ramp and deliberately approached the target area.  The scenario involved an aircraft that overran the north runway after landing when the pilots became incapacitated from the leak of a hazardous chlorine-based chemical inside the aircraft.  The first responders cautiously approached the aircraft simulator, sprayed a mist of water to disperse the chemical agent (generated smoke) and rescued the crew (manikins).  Around the airport, other first responders simulated an evacuation of downwind homes and businesses.  According to an initial report from the independent evaluators, the district received high marks for their response.  Special thanks to Mr. Mark Lee of the University of Missouri, provider of the aircraft simulator, Training Officer Shawn Karl of the Monarch Fire Protection District and the staff of Air Associates.  Here are some scenes from Monday's drill: