These mandatory exercises are held every year to train emergency First Responders how to respond in the case of an airport emergency.
Tabletop exercises to increase the efficiency of the emergency response to an aircraft accident were held in Wemindji, Eastmain and Waskaganish the week of January 8, 2024.
The annual tabletop exercises were organized and conducted by OCTANT Aviation. Transport Canada regulations require that tabletop exercises are held every year and that full-scale exercises are held every four years.
All first responders:
"The goal of the exercise is to improve both the emergency response plan and the response team, thereby strengthening everyone's knowledge and knowing how to react." – Jason Coonishish, Coordinator of Pre-Hospital and Emergency Measures
The facilitator of the exercise (OCTANT Aviation) presented a scenario of an aircraft accident to the group. Participants were then asked to describe what their specific response to the emergency would be, as per their role listed in the airport's Emergency Response Plan (ERP).
A discussion between all responding emergency departments was encouraged by the facilitator in order to go over the specifics for each department's role while responding to the emergency.
As an emergency doesn’t happen often, first responders must be trained regularly so that they can be prepared to respond to an emergency. These emergencies can range from a simple runway excursion to a crash of a larger aircraft with deaths.
The review of the ERP also allows every department the opportunity to voice their suggestions/concerns, thus allowing for the continual improvement of the Emergency Response Plan.
Other tabletop exercises will be held next year and the two following year. The next full-scale exercises are scheduled for 2027.
The Emergency Measures team at the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay works with the Cree Nation Government and the communities to ensure that any emergency is responded to promptly.
The objective of the visit was to get acquainted with the operations and techniques related to the deployment of a field hospital in the context of a possible health crisis in Eeyou Istchee.
