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Public was informed about active shooter drill @ T.B. Lettsome Airport– Kurt A. G. Menal

Managing Director at the BVI Airports Authority Mr. Kurt Menal in addressing concerns raised on social media regarding the recent active shooter drill that took place at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, has reminded that the exercise was just a simulation. Photo: VINO/File
BEEF ISLAND, VI - Managing Director at the BVI Airports Authority Mr. Kurt Menal in addressing concerns raised on social media regarding the recent active shooter drill that took place at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, has reminded that the exercise was just a simulation.

According to a release from the BVIAA, Mr Menal said the Authority hosted its biennial simulation exercise on October 16, 2023, in line with its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety.

“The exercise he said was conducted at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport and was designed to test the response of the Aviation Security team to an active shooter scenario, in accordance with PARTS 139 and 178 of the Overseas Territories Aviation Requirements (OTAR) and in conjunction with the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force who also participated in and evaluated the exercise. 

Notice was published ahead of exercise - Mr Menal 

Mr. Menal said the authority understands the importance of open communication with the public and prioritizes safety and security at all times and added that in preparation for the drill, proactive measures were taken to inform the public about the upcoming exercise to reduce the possibility of alarm. We published a bulletin prior to the event, notifying the community of the exercise and its purpose.’”

He added, “On the day of the exercise, airline agents and passengers in the terminal building, were duly notified of the drill. This was done to ensure that everyone at the airport was aware of the exercise, and there was no intention of causing any undue alarm.”

He detailed that a comprehensive assessment and debriefing were conducted following the exercise to evaluate the response and gather valuable insights for continuous improvement.

“There were no official reports of panic or injury as a result of the exercise which demonstrates the efficiency of the security procedures and the readiness of the staff in handling such situations,” he added.  

8 Responses to “Public was informed about active shooter drill @ T.B. Lettsome Airport– Kurt A. G. Menal ”

  • A for safety (30/10/2023, 19:07) Like (5) Dislike (9) Reply
    Kurt continues to do great work in the safety of airports operations! This proactive measure to protect the nation is a great example for all of us to follow.
  • WOW (30/10/2023, 20:21) Like (4) Dislike (3) Reply
    1st I'm hearing of this.
  • DO BETTER! (30/10/2023, 20:45) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Airline staff was "notified" LITERALLY less than 5 minutes before simulation and wasn't even given instructions. Other airline staff are who came after the simulation began and said "they say we have to go outside". BVIAA, do better! And the public was "notified" the day BEFORE!
  • asking for a friend (30/10/2023, 22:39) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    What’s the big deal?
  • Which radio station was it on? (31/10/2023, 00:06) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    Tola radio, Zrod or Zbvi? How many tourists listen to any of these radio stations?
  • Hmm (31/10/2023, 06:49) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Simulation exercise of a plane crash which is needed and active shooter drill are not the same thing. Not buying uour spin.
  • Rewriting history (31/10/2023, 07:19) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    I was at the airport. None of the public were aware that there was going to be a drill. It was very frightening.
  • NB (31/10/2023, 09:51) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    Ayo lucky none of my family aint get a heart attack, or go into labour, or panic, run and fall down or sustain any sorta injuries. I woulda move the heavens and earth to sue ayo. Is like a bunch of air heads running things here. Who is the wise Einstein that approve this strategy to implement a proper contingency plan? This is non sense. People's lives matter. Someone could have lost their lives because of y'all stupidness.


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