Miami residents were surprised on Sunday morning by an unprecedented exercise called “Fallen Archangel.”
More than a dozen agencies collaborated on this massive training that closed roads in the area of the University of Miami Health System (U Miami) medical campus until the early afternoon.
The drill, meticulously planned for more than a year, depicted a fictional crisis scenario: a plane crash into a helipad on the U Miami School of Medicine campus, which (hypothetically) affected the Metrorail and a bus with participants simulating be foreign citizens.
Vincent Torresdirector of Emergency Management at System & Miller School of Medicine, stressed the importance of planning ahead.
In statements collected by NBCthe manager explained that the location of the campus on the flight path of Miami International Airport generated concern about the potential risk, which prompted this detailed and coordinated simulation.
The exercise, which included teams from police, firefighters, emergency management, public transportation and organizations such as the Red Cross and the FBI, evaluated response skills in a scenario with multiple challenges, as seen in the video shared by the event site Only in Dade.
Torres emphasized the variety of situations faced, from technical rescue to hospital evacuation.
“Fallen Archangel” not only tested emergency crews, but also analyzed the impact on daily operations, including the temporary closure of several roads in the area.
Ignatius Carrollcaptain of the City of Miami Fire Department, highlighted the importance of this practice for new members of the team and the evaluation of their capabilities.
The organizers stated that these simulation exercises will continue with different scenarios to improve emergency preparedness and response capacity. Detailed evaluations will then be carried out to identify areas for improvement and implement necessary changes.
The drill, beyond closing streets and generating surprise among residents, underlined the importance of meticulous preparation and coordination between various agencies to face possible crises in real life, ensuring the capacity for effective response in critical situations.
