Reid Airport officials conducting emergency preparedness drill this week

Las Vegas, NV (KXNT) – No need to panic. It’s only a drill.

Later this week, the Clark County Department of Aviation will conduct an emergency preparedness drill at Reid International Airport. The FAA requires the drill to be performed every three years.

The drill provides an opportunity for airport staff, first responders and partners to test their preparedness and response to a large-scale aircraft emergency.

This year’s drill will be held on Thursday between 7:30am and 1:30pm. This year, the full-scale exercise involves two aircraft, smoke, pyrotechnics and volunteers to contribute to the realism of the drill.

The scenario limits responding participants’ advance knowledge of what’s unfolding around them, a technique meant to improve their ability to react quickly and correctly during a stressful situation.

Airport officials say that normal operations will not be impacted by the exercise.