Kisumu Airport equipped to handle emergencies, says manager

Kisumu International Airport is well-prepared to handle emergencies, airport manager Selina Gor has said.

Gor said the airport is fully compliant with all internationally required airport safety standards. 

On Friday, the Kenya Airports Authority conducted a full-scale emergency drill at the airport.

The drill was aimed at testing the airport’s emergency plan, Gor said. 

The drill was based on a scenario in which an aircraft carrying 30 passengers including crew crashes shortly after departing from the Kisumu airport.

In the scenario created, the Aircraft was destined for Wilson Airport in Nairobi.

The objective of the scenario was to establish response, fire suppression, extrication, emergency rescue, triage, treatment, and transfer of casualties.

Command communication and control, security – access control, crowd control, and communication were also tested. 

Gor said the exercise also reaffirmed the airport’s capability to host major events including the upcoming Africities Summit without any hitch. 

She commended the airport’s increased capacity to respond to fires. The airport recently acquired a self-contained breathing compressor machine.

The machine is used for refilling oxygen cylinders.

“The machine can fill six cylinders in a span of 10 minutes, therefore, enhancing the capability of our firemen in responding to emergencies,” Gor said.

The agencies that participated in the simulation included Kenya Airports Authority, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, Kenya Police, Kenya Pipeline Company, Kenya Defence Forces, Port Health, Kenya Red Cross, St. John's Ambulance, County Government of Kisumu, Fly 540 and Silverstone Air.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation Standards and Recommended Practices obligate civil aviation airports to undertake drills once every two years to assess their level of preparedness to emergencies and security standards. 

(edited by O. Owino)