Simulated aircraft crash exercise comes early September Published Aug. 27, 2008 By Staff Sgt. Amanda Currier 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- McConnell and local emergency responders are scheduled to participate in a major accident response exercise at the Wichita Fire Department Training Facility in Wichita, Sept. 3 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The exercise, crafted by the 22nd Air Refueling Wing's Plans and Programs division, will be geared toward testing participants' emergency response skills and evaluating involved agencies' ability to work as a unified team. It will also be designed to improve communication between base and community leaders and emergency response personnel to strengthen their ability to keep McConnell and local citizens safe. The exercise will include a simulated aircraft crash with real fire and smoke, and actors posing as casualties with realistic-looking injuries. McConnell's emergency responders and their civic counterparts from more than 18 local agencies will respond to the mock crash. The public should be aware; although the accident scene will appear real, it will only be a simulation for training purposes. People should not flood emergency phone lines with calls concerning the mock accident. People who normally travel in the Wichita Fire Department Training Facility vicinity should plan to take an alternate route during the exercise to avoid traffic delays. The training facility, and site of the exercise accident scene, is on the corner of Oliver and 31st streets at 4780 E 31st Street.