PLEASE NOTE: NSWPF branded vision of the exercise will made available to media at the conclusion of the event
NSW emergency services will be running a planned emergency exercise at Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) ahead of its late 2026 opening.
The NSW Police Force, Fire and Rescue NSW, WSI, NSW Ambulance and NSW Rural Fire Service will be working together during a planned emergency exercise at Western Sydney International Airport today (Tuesday 12 November 2024).
The exercise will involve all emergency services responding to a jet fuel leak at the airport while a mulch fire burns nearby in dry and windy conditions.
The goal of the exercise will be to make sure all emergency services in south west Sydney are able to confidently and effectively respond to any potential incident at the airport in preparation for its late 2026 opening.
Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden, Commander of South West Metropolitan Region, said exercises like this are vital before major infrastructure becomes accessible to the public.
“Today’s exercise is about making sure we are utilising best practice across emergency services, so that when Western Sydney Airport opens, we can confidently meet any issue that arises.’
“This exercise is also about collaboration between emergency management stakeholders, all of which are the best at what they do,” Assistant Commissioner McFadden said.
“In the future, we plan to run more of these exercises, focusing on different scenarios, to make sure the people of NSW know that their public safety is in the best hands.’
Acting Area Commander Metro South Peter Cleary, Fire and Rescue NSW, said “Exercises such as these are crucial to ensuring our readiness in the event of a real-life incident.
“By working together with our emergency services partners, we can test our response plan and protocols in a realistic environment as well as gain a better understanding of each other’s operating procedures, communications and equipment to ensure the safety of the community.”
WSI Chief Operating Officer Matt Duffy said the exercise will be a great opportunity for airport staff to collaborate with first responders and jointly test emergency management protocols.
“In a genuine emergency, we would be working hand in glove with emergency services, so exercises like this are a great way to put our policies into practice in a live environment to ensure we’re all as prepared as possible,” he said.
“This also marks a new chapter for the airport – with construction now more than 85 per cent complete, we’ll soon begin a lengthy period of operational testing where we really stress test all our infrastructure, systems, and processes ahead of our opening in late 2026.”
