VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Preparing for a worst-case scenario: that's what a group of sailors and Virginia Beach first responders set out to do Thursday at Naval Air Station Oceana.
The mass casualty drill was meant to simulate an aircraft mishap and is training ahead of the 2023 NAS Oceana Air Show. It tested their ability to react to such an event in a rapid, coordinated and effective manner.
"This is a great example of why our strong partnerships with the City of Virginia Beach and local first responders are so vital," NAS Oceana commanding officer Capt. Steve Djunaedi said in a news release. "Safety is always our number one priority, whether we’re flying routine flight operations or hosting the NAS Oceana Air Show. This training exercise is an important step we take to prepare for this very special event."
About 100 participants from NAS Oceana and the City of Virginia Beach took part in Thursday's training exercise.
NAS Oceana will hold its annual air show on Sept. 16 and 17, 2023, and will include the Blue Angels, as well as a variety of military and civilian aviation performances.