Disaster drill at Oban airport
Oban Airport simulated a fuel fire and plane rescue on Saturday in its biennial disaster drill with emergency services.
Airport staff have trained for many scenarios, such as aircraft colliding or ditching into the water, but this year the test involved a small fire that had broken out near the new fuel installation, and two planes queuing to refuel.
Five 'passengers' (two dummies and three actors) were rescued, and their imagined injuries treated, while the fire was brought under control.
[gallery size="large" ids="eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvd3BjbHVzdGVyLmRjdGRpZ2l0YWwuY29tXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC9zaXRlc1wvNjNcLzIwMjJcLzAzXC9OT19UMTBfT2Jhbi1BaXJwb3J0LWRpc2FzdGVyLWRyaWxsXzA0LWpmMTk0d2piLXNjYWxlZC5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6Ik5PX1QxMF9PYmFuIEFpcnBvcnQgZGlzYXN0ZXIgZHJpbGxfMDQiLCJjYXB0aW9uIjoiT2JhbiBBaXJwb3J0J3Mgc3RhdGlvbiBtYW5hZ2VyIFRvbSBFZGRsZXN0b24gd2FzIHBsZWFzZWQgd2l0aCBob3cgd2VsbCBpdHMgZW1lcmdlbmN5IHByb2NlZHVyZXMgd29ya2VkLiBQaG90b2dyYXBoOiBLZXZpbiBNY0dseW5uLiIsImFsdCI6IiIsImRlc2NyaXB0aW9uIjoiIn0=,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvd3BjbHVzdGVyLmRjdGRpZ2l0YWwuY29tXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC9zaXRlc1wvNjNcLzIwMjJcLzAzXC9OT19UMTBfT2Jhbi1BaXJwb3J0LWRpc2FzdGVyLWRyaWxsXzAxLWpmMTk0d2doLXNjYWxlZC5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6Ik5PX1QxMF9PYmFuIEFpcnBvcnQgZGlzYXN0ZXIgZHJpbGxfMDEiLCJjYXB0aW9uIjoiUGF1bCBNYWNrYXksIHdobyB3b3JrcyBhdCB0aGUgYWlycG9ydCwgc3ByYXlpbmcgZm9hbSBvbiB0aGUgJ2ZpcmUnLiBQaG90b2dyYXBoOiBLZXZpbiBNY0dseW5uIiwiYWx0IjoiIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvd3BjbHVzdGVyLmRjdGRpZ2l0YWwuY29tXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC9zaXRlc1wvNjNcLzIwMjJcLzAzXC9OT19UMTBfT2Jhbi1BaXJwb3J0LWRpc2FzdGVyLWRyaWxsXzAzLTMxNGtsbWtrZS1zY2FsZWQuanBnIiwidGl0bGUiOiJOT19UMTBfT2JhbiBBaXJwb3J0IGRpc2FzdGVyIGRyaWxsXzAzIiwiY2FwdGlvbiI6IlRoZSB0cmFpbmluZyBpbnZvbHZlZCBhbGwgdGhlIGVtZXJnZW5jeSBzZXJ2aWNlcy4gUGhvdG9ncmFwaDogS2V2aW4gTWNHbHlubiIsImFsdCI6IiIsImRlc2NyaXB0aW9uIjoiIn0="]
The multi-agency simulation was attended by the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, Police Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Service, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, Argyll & Bute Council's civil contingencies manager, and observers.
Oban Airport's station manager Tom Eddleston said the heads of services will now meet and discuss improvements to their procedures.
'The exercise went quite well, so I am not anticipating any changes,' he said. 'The weather made it very enjoyable.'
Mr Eddleston thanked everybody for taking part.
Paul Mackay, who works at the airport, spraying foam on the 'fire'. Photograph: Kevin McGlynn
The training involved all the emergency services. Photograph: Kevin McGlynn
Oban Airport's station manager Tom Eddleston was pleased with how well its emergency procedures worked. Photograph: Kevin McGlynn.
Sign up to our daily Newsletter
Permission Statement
Yes! I would like to be sent emails from West Coast Today
I understand that my personal information will not be shared with any third parties, and will only be used to provide me with useful targeted articles as indicated.
I'm also aware that I can un-subscribe at any point either from each email notification or on My Account screen.
Accept
Cancel
You may also like
Sign up to our daily Newsletters
Permission Statement
Yes! I would like to be sent emails from West Coast Today
I understand that my personal information will not be shared with any third parties, and will only be used to provide me with useful targeted articles as indicated.
I'm also aware that I can un-subscribe at any point either from each email notification or on My Account screen.
Accept
Cancel
© 2025 Wyvex Media Limited.