Did you see a fire at Indianapolis Airport? That was just a realistic emergency drill

Indianapolis Star

19-06-2025

Smoke billowed over the Indianapolis International Airport on June 18 after the cabin of a plane caught fire. But none of the hundreds of first responders and volunteers at the scene seemed too upset; the model of a plane cabin had been set on fire deliberately as part of a live disaster exercise.
The dramatic scene was an Airport Preparedness Exercise or APEX, a full-scale drill the Federal Aviation Administration requires airports to undergo every three years. The simulation, which costs the airport $30,000 to host, is a test of its emergency response plans.As multiple fatal plane crashes have made headlines in 2025, the FAA has faced increased scrutiny, spotlighting the importance of these routine safety practices.
More than 400 people participated in the drill, representing more than 30 agencies, including the Indianapolis Fire Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as nearby hospitals, fire and police departments. About 125 of those present were unpaid volunteers acting as passengers.
Evaluators from hospitals, fire departments and other airports provided feedback on the exercise, taking into account command structure, patient triage, resource management and other safety factors.
'We're looking at the plan, making sure that it's the right plan,' Airport Fire Department Chief Fred Pervine said.
Behind the International Arrivals building, a hollowed-out model plane cabin was set ablaze, and different teams of firefighters worked to extinguish the flames. The airport fire department has three minutes from the time they're notified of a fire to arrive at the scene.
'The aircraft will be completely consumed in three minutes, so we have to get there quick,' Pervine said.
In a nearby building, emergency medical services practiced their triage system. Volunteers dripping with fake blood lay on the ground, surrounded by luggage and faux plane wreckage.
Megan Kelley, an emergency room nurse, acted as one of the 'wounded,' with fake blood on her arms and cheeks. She called the experience enlightening, and said it was interesting to see how first responders address medical emergencies at a scene compared to how they handle such situations in the hospital.
'We just like, deal with one patient at a time pretty much,' she said. 'And then here, I feel like it's just mass amounts of people that they have to sort through.'
Scott Hengemuhle, another volunteer, said seeing all that went on behind the scenes made him feel safer about flying.
'It was cool to see all the different EMS, fire departments from around the area, to see them all coming together and doing the same thing,' he said. 'Really cool to just see them coordinating. They all kinda knew what they were doing.'
With different agencies working together, the ultimate goal is to practice unified communication, Pervine said.