Crash and burn?
It was a true test of hours of training.
Sugar Grove fire officials expressed elation Saturday over the success of a live fire response drill that simulated the crash of a twin-engine plane with six passengers at the Aurora Airport in Sugar Grove.
"It exceeded our expectations," Deputy Chief David Adler said after the drill.
The exercise began with a boom and billowing black smoke at 9:23 a.m. when fire department personnel ignited jet fuel in containers that surrounded a wingless, disabled twin engine plane on the ground next to runway 15. The flames engulfed the plane and created a trail of smaller flames behind it.
The "victims" of the crash were several mannequins inside the burning plane, and several adults and children who took their place outside of the plane, a safe distance from the flames.
Sugar Grove firefighters responded first, dousing the flames so they could extricate the mannequin victims from the plane.
The drill began with an initial "alert one" call that notified personnel of an aircraft in distress. This was elevated to a general alarm and fire engines and ambulances from at least 15 surrounding communities had arrived at the scene by 10 a.m.
Emergency workers from Batavia, Big Rock, Elburn, Geneva, Maple Park, Montgomery, North Aurora, Oswego and St. Charles took part. Kane County sheriff's police also participated.
"We're very happy about how our firefighters responded," Adler said. "They extinguished fires in order to get the victims out of the plane. But they didn't bother with the other fires that were not impinging on the victims. They went right to the fuselage. This is how they're trained.
"We have what we call a 'golden hour' regarding trauma patients," Adler said. "In less than an hour, our emergency units were able to suppress the aircraft fire, extricate the victims, stabilize them and get them to the hospital. This increases the chance of survival."
The "victims" were taken to Delnor-Community Hospital in Geneva and to Provena Mercy Medical Center in Aurora. Staffs at both hospitals participated in the drill.
Because the Aurora Airport is in Sugar Grove, fire department personnel there are being trained in fighting aircraft fires.
"What we are doing here today could save lives," Adler said.
The Aurora Airport serves 80,000 to 90,000 aircraft per year.