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INDIANAPOLIS (June 18, 2025) — The public, local residents and motorists near the Indianapolis International Airport (IND) may see emergency vehicles and smoke on the airfield today as the Indianapolis Airport Authority will test its airport-emergency operations plan this morning.
The Airport Preparedness Exercise or APEX, required by the Federal Aviation Administration to take place once every three years, evaluates airport operations plans in the event of an emergency. During the exercise, critical functions such as incident command and control, rescue methods and procedures, and triage of injured victims are assessed.
“This exercise tests and allows us to scrutinize our procedures, personnel, control and partnership protocols to ensure we are well-prepared to save lives in the event of an aircraft incident at or near the Indy airport,” said Matt Lewis, IAA deputy senior director of operations and maintenance.
Lewis said more than 30 organizations in the Greater Indianapolis area will participate in this full-scale, multi-emergency training exercise. Participants will include first responders from local police and fire departments, along with emergency personnel, hospitals and public businesses.
More than 125 volunteers of various ages will serve as disaster victims and survivors. Additionally, a team of 15 non-participant experts, including personnel from nearby states, will be on hand to document and assess the experience.
In all, approximately 400 people will participate in this required exercise.
An actual aircraft also will be staged at the scene of the exercise as well as a separate live aircraft fire trainer.
“This exercise is a multi-partner drill, which not only tests and strengthens our ability to perform to precision in an aircraft incident, but it also helps to strengthen the working relationships with the first responders in the surrounding community,” said Chief Fred Pervine, head of the IAA fire department.
Although normal airport operations will be unaffected, North Perimeter Road, West Perimeter Road, and Hoffman Road will be heavily traveled by emergency vehicles from various mutual-aid and other responding agencies from approximately 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.
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