If you hear alarms or see sirens at Rotorua Airport on Thursday there is no need to worry - its all part of a scheduled emergency exercise.
As part of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requirements, the exercise will involve emergency services and airport stakeholders including New Zealand Police, St John,
New Zealand Fire Service, Air New Zealand, Rotorua Airport staff and Rotorua Lakes Council.
Rotorua Airport fire and operations manager John Harrison said an alarm will be activated about 2.30pm and an emergency response would follow, with a number of vehicles making their way to the airport.
"To minimise disruption to the public as much as possible, most emergency agencies will be situated at the New Zealand Fire Service National Training Centre, opposite the airport, so they will not have to cross town.
"There will be no scheduled flights during the exercise period and the airport runway and grass area will be closed to all general aviation.
"This multi-layered emergency exercise is a great opportunity not only for the airport's team, but also for other emergency services personnel to get training experience in situations that don't happen every day.
"A key focus of the airport is to create an environment that is safe at all times. This emergency exercise is just one way we ensure an effective response is carried out in the case of an emergency."
