As part of O. R. Tambo International Airport’s preparedness for aviation and other emergency situations the airport will be embarking on an emergency simulation exercise on a date to be advised later this month.
The airport therefore wishes to advise media to expect information of an emergency situation at the airport within the next week. While you are welcome to engage with the airport and/or other stakeholders as you would in a real simulation we caution against making media reports of an emergency at the airport being made public.
A media release will be distributed from the airport on the day the exercise begins so you are aware that it has started. Any correspondence from the airport around this exercise will be prefaced with the code name “Exercise Phoenix”.
The exercise this year will be on a large scale including emergency services from across the province. Respondents are not advised of the exact date of the exercise to simulate the surprise factor of the exercise.
The airport is required to conduct an emergency simulation at least every two years to test its and its stakeholder partners at the airport and emergency services response to aviation and/or airport crises. The airport has taken this mandate very seriously. The last exercise was conducted in 2008.
We urge you to advise your colleagues of this advisory.
For further media inquiries, please contact:
Unathi Batyashe-Fillis
Manager: Communication and Brand Management
O.R. Tambo International Airport
Airports Company South Africa
Direct: +27 (0) 11 921 6087
Main: +27 (0) 11 921 6262
Fax to E-Mail: 086 560 3488
Fax: 086 560 3488
Cell: +27 (0) 79 882 7307
E-Mail: unathi.Batyashe-Fillis@airports.co.za
