Lincolnshire Emergency Services joined forces with RAF Coningsby as military and civilian agencies tested their ability to respond to an aircraft crash.
Post Crash Management Exercises are a regular feature in the calendars of most military flying stations. They are designed to bring the civilian emergency services and military organisations together to develop collaboration and build relationships ahead of a potential incident.
A control room was set up at RAF Coningsby and a simulated crash site was set up at RAF Donna Nook on the Lincolnshire coast.
Royal Air Force Coningsby provides Post-Crash and Incident Management Officers (PCIMO) in the event of an aircraft crash. PCIMO’s are the link between the military and emergency services at the scene of an aircraft incident. Lincolnshire Police, East Midlands Ambulance Service, and Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue personnel all took part in the exercise.
Wing Commander Jim Errington is the Royal Air Force Regional Liaison Officer. He said:
“It is vital to have our civilian colleagues with us today. In a real situation, having emergency service experts close by as RAF Coningsby co-ordinates the response is invaluable.”
Squadron Leader Kathryn Janes was the Incident Commander. She said:
“Because the RAF and the emergency services could be asked to respond to an incident at any time, this exercise is just one part of an ongoing training cycle. In 2025 full scale exercise will test every aspect of our incident response capability; people, equipment, communications, decision making, everything.”
Weeks in preparation, the Exercise Planners worked closely with the “Blue Light” Services to replicate an evolving crash situation. In the scenario a Chinook helicopter had crash landed on the Lincolnshire coast. There were survivors on board but, as experts fought to rescue the stricken crew, the tide closed in rapidly.
Wing Commander Errington concluded:
“Like everybody else, I hope the real thing never happens. But if it does, we at RAF Coningsby need to be ready and this exercise successfully tested that readiness.”
