Cabarrus Today

The City of Concord is conducting an emergency training exercise for local first responders at Concord-Padgett Regional Airport. The exercise is scheduled for Wednesday, September 20, at 8:30 a.m., and will simulate a response to a downed aircraft on the runway.

Residents and motorists near the airport may notice smoke and a significant presence of emergency vehicles. Authorities emphasize that this is only a training exercise, and the public should call 911 solely in case of actual life-threatening emergencies.

The Federal Aviation Administration mandates airports to conduct full-scale emergency response exercises every three years. Ian Crane, Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Concord, stated, “It’s critical that we come together as a team to practice our response to emergency situations, so that when an incident occurs in our city, we are prepared to provide the best and most efficient response possible.”

Various local law enforcement agencies, fire departments, emergency medical teams, and community organizations will participate in the event. Volunteers will act as victims with injuries of differing severity levels to create realistic training scenarios for first responders and airport personnel.

During the exercise, Concord-Padgett Regional Airport's runway will be closed from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on September 20. Pilots and airport users have been informed about this temporary closure.