MONTEGO BAY, St James — Unexpected rain did not pose a challenge for the team of first responders enlisted for Tuesday night’s two-hour test of Sangster International Airport’s (SIA) ability to respond to a major disaster. The simulation covered scenarios such as a bomb threat, a drug cartel moving illicit funds, and an abduction.

“This exercise certainly speaks to readiness, we are very happy with the response and the participation of our mutual aid providers,” MBJ Airports Limited CEO Shane Munroe told reporters after the exercise.

MBJ Ltd operates SIA.

“If an event such as this should happen, whether it is security or safety related, they are ready and able to respond,” Munroe added.

The simulation, dubbed Operation Nighthawk, was much more elaborate than a typical drill. According to Munroe, this type of exercise is required every two years.

“Any international airport is expected to carry out exercises such as these. We carry out various table-top scenarios and other types of safety and security exercises throughout the year but we also have what we call a full-scale exercise and that tests the response of all parties in a very real way,” he explained.

He tipped his hat to all who played a role in the drill.

“An event like this and a response to an event like this cannot happen without the involvement of law enforcement, the Jamaica Defence Force, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Ministry of Health with the Cornwall Regional Hospital as well as the Jamaica Fire Brigade. All those agencies responded and we were very happy that they are here and participating in this full exercise,” Munroe said.

MBJ Ltd COO Peter Hall, who led the simulation, agreed.

“The main success that we had is the fact that all the agencies that are part of our emergency response plan and our contingency programme, they turned up,” he said.

“They responded to the event with all the resources they had at their disposal in terms of human resources and equipment. So, for me and for MBJ, that is the most critical of the success that we could ask for,” he continued.

A few weeks ago questions were raised about the airport management’s ability to handle emergencies after an outgoing passenger collapsed and died. The man’s relatives complained that valuable time was lost as requests were made for them to pay a fee to secure the services of an ambulance. MBJ Ltd rejected the claim that there was an undue delay in providing medical care for the man and since then, an ambulance has been stationed at SIA.

After Tuesday’s drill Hall said simulations provide confidence that they are able to handle emergencies that arise.

“This is the reason why we have an emergency response plan and a contingency programme to ensure that every eventuality that may occur, we are ready for it,” he said.

There was a debriefing after the drill but next week MBJ Ltd and key stakeholders will do an in-depth assessment and then explore how their emergency response mechanism can be improved going forward.

“We saw this as a process of continuous improvement,” said Munroe. “There is a detailed plan and collaboration that is in place for these types of events and we want to ensure that the public and all our stakeholders are aware of these plans and that these are active measures we have in place.”