FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Merisa Ashbaugh Darren James
PR Counsel Airport Director
(314) 436-9090 (office) (309) 335-5453 (cell) 618-566-5240 (office)
Exercise involving a fictional aircraft mishap took place Sept. 23
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MASCOUTAH, Ill. (Sept. 25, 2026) – A full-scale emergency exercise featuring nearly 100 first responders and local volunteer actors was conducted Sept. 23 at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport to test and strengthen regional emergency response capabilities. The exercise took place from approximately 9 to 11:30 a.m. and brought multiple agencies and organizations together to respond to a fictional aircraft mishap. Full-scale emergency exercises of this nature are conducted every three years by MidAmerica St. Louis Airport and other certificated airports to meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements under FAR Part 139.
The fictional scenario involved an aircraft that experienced an engine fire during engine run-up, triggering an emergency response and passenger evacuation. Represented by a Scott Air Force Base C-40 (B737), the aircraft served as the focal point of the exercise, while two Metro Transit buses were used to simulate portions of the aircraft during rescue operations. First responders from across the region quickly mobilized to assess the scene, assist with passenger evacuations, provide medical care to volunteer actors portraying injured passengers and coordinate response efforts. Emergency crews also worked to contain and extinguish the simulated fire. Access to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport was temporarily restricted during the exercise to ensure public safety and facilitate training activities.
“This year’s scenario challenged our teams to respond to an emergency unfolding before takeoff, providing a valuable opportunity to test evacuation procedures, fire suppression, medical response and incident command operations in real time,” said Darren James, Director of MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. “The coordinated response we saw today reflects the preparation and strong working relationships among the airport and our regional partners, and we are grateful to everyone who helped make the exercise successful.”
Multiple organizations and agencies collaborated during the Sept. 23 exercise, demonstrating timely communication of critical information, effective interagency coordination and the ability to operate in a cohesive incident command structure. Organizations and agencies with first responders and volunteers participating in the exercise included MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, Abbot EMS, Mascoutah EMS, Mascoutah Fire Department, MedStar Ambulance, Memorial Hospital, O’Fallon Fire Department, Scott Air Force Base Fire Department, St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency, St. Clair County Health Department and St. Clair County Sherrif’s Department.
“Exercises like this allow our first responders and partner agencies to practice working as one team before an actual emergency occurs,” said St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern. “By testing communication, coordination and decision-making in a realistic setting, we can identify what works well, strengthen our countywide response and help ensure we are ready when the community needs us most.”
For more information about MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, visit FlyMidAmerica.com.
MidAmerica St. Louis Airport
MidAmerica St. Louis Airport is located in Mascoutah, Illinois, in the eastern portion of the St. Louis metropolitan area. Passenger service to a variety of popular destinations is offered by Allegiant. Major multimodal rail and inland port centers are located within 22 miles of the airport, which also enjoys easy access to five interstate highways via I-64. With parallel runways of 8,000 and 10,000 feet, the airport can handle simultaneous take-offs and landings in all conditions, minimizing delays. It has an annual capacity of 200,000 operations. Tenants include Boeing, which has a manufacturing facility at the airport and North Bay Produce, an international, grower-owned, year-round, fresh produce marketing and distribution cooperative headquartered in Traverse City, Mich. MidAmerica is a Joint Use Airport partnering with Scott AFB, the home to US Transportation Command, a multi service organization, and Air Mobility Command, the USAF’s component command for airlift. MidAmerica and the 375th Air Mobility Wing operate Scott AFB/MidAmerica St. Louis Airport.
