(NECN: Alysha Palumbo, Boston, Mass.) - A plane landing at Logan Airport in Boston crashes short of the runway. That's the scenario emergency responders worked through today as part of a coordinated drill with more than 50 local, state and federal agencies.
These one hundred cadets are acting as the survivors being plucked from the ocean or off this barge.
"Simulating a large piece of fuselage that broke off from the simulated aircraft that crashed on approach to Boston Harbor," said Deputy Chief Paul Callinan with MassPort Fire Rescue.
MassPort Director of Aviation, Edward Freni said, "Ditching aircraft incidents is something we need to be prepared for, and as the "miracle on the Hudson " US Airways flight 1549, the ditching showed that it's a remote but real possibility here at Logan Airport."
In this simulation, several rescue boats transported the passengers to awaiting EMS crews on shore.
Local
Cadet Christopher Hoar said, "I have a crushed right leg, it's pretty serious, at least moderately serious."
Cadet Christopher Meoli said, "I got lucky, I mean for a plane crash in a harbor not too bad, a couple of my friends were dead so as least I'm not them."
The cadets are coming off the boat with injuries like broken bones and cuts, and then they're being prioritized just like they would in a real emergency.
Boston EMS Associate Medical Director Ricky Kue said, "The reality is in a major disaster with real world injuries, would patients be moving this quickly off the treatment areas, probably not, but for the purposes of the exercise, it allows us to practice the plans that are in place."
Organizers say this emergency drill is just the first phase of testing out the response time and coordination.
Next they will focus on what went well and what can be improved and change their emergency response plan for the future.
United States Coast Guard Commander Thomas Morkan said, "We're here today to work out the kinks, so if this ever happens we can respond accordingly."
