![Passengers in the mock plane crash wait for assistance as VRA volunteers carry an injured passenger in a stretcher. Picture by Mark Jesser Passengers in the mock plane crash wait for assistance as VRA volunteers carry an injured passenger in a stretcher. Picture by Mark Jesser](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/205593064/11435367-c946-4796-8aff-4bd7cc976026.jpg/r0_0_8256_5082_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A mock airplane crash at Albury airport has given emergency services a rare training run for a mass casualty event on the Border.
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The scenario saw a passenger aircraft inbound to the airport experience control difficulties and, while landing, touch down late and crash off the end of the runway.
Emergency services, which included Albury VRA, Fire and Rescue NSW, Albury police and paramedics, then worked together to free the injured passengers and get them to safety.
The exercise was designed to test the procedures outlined in the Airport Emergency Plan to ensure it is current and meets all responding agencies' requirements.
Josh Thompson, Albury Council's team leader of airport operations, said the exercise was paramount in ensuring the airport was prepared for the worst.
"Our emergency plan needs to be enforceable so that if there is a real-life emergency, we can be confident that we will respond as quickly as possible," he said.
"At the end of today, we'll debrief with all our emergency stakeholders, come together, and we'll make any (changes) to that emergency plan procedure that we need to."
![Emergency services carry an injured passenger in a stretcher to safety. Picture by Mark Jesser Emergency services carry an injured passenger in a stretcher to safety. Picture by Mark Jesser](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/205593064/4843a651-43e1-4607-a4c5-8e48253a6e77.jpg/r0_0_8164_5443_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Ben Moyle, Albury VRA captain, said the exercise was an opportunity to fine-tune the response to a cross-agency emergency.
"Exercises like this are really great for our volunteer members because it gets us involved with the other emergency services in our area and gets us training in a simulated yet realistic environment out here on the tarmac," he said.
"In an incident like this, we liaise with all the other emergency services and see how we can offer our assistance.
"In this incident, there were nine trapped in the aircraft. Our crews worked together with all other services to free the entrapped patients and get them to (safety)."
![Fire and Rescue NSW personnel help a passenger. Picture by Mark Jesser Fire and Rescue NSW personnel help a passenger. Picture by Mark Jesser](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/205593064/c484d7be-3991-472c-a543-cd44b175588a.jpg/r0_0_8256_5504_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Fire and Rescue NSW commander Stewart Alexander said the exercise provided great training for a mass casualty emergency.
"Mass casualty events are rare occurrences," he said.
"However, we need to be prepared and ready to respond with very little notice to ensure that the community is provided the very best protection."
The exercise is a biennial requirement from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).