In a dry-run designed to test the Albury Airport Emergency Plan, crews will deal with a fictitious scenario wherein a passenger aircraft has skidded off the runway after multiple bird strikes. 

Buses will represent the aircraft’s fuselage and volunteers will act as injured passengers. 

Albury City councillor Henk van de Ven said the aim was to give staff the skills they hoped they would never need.

“It’s critical that our people are highly trained to do what needs to be done in the unlikely event that a real emergency occurs,” he said.

“Real-life procedures will be followed with the participation of emergency services.”

The drill, from 10.30am to 12.30pm, aims to fine-tune access to airport facilities, test arrangements for transporting wounded passengers and practice agency co-ordination.