Grand Canyon West to Host Emergency Response Drill with Public Safety Agencies

Media wishing to receive video footage or secure interviews with participants in the mock drill should RSVP to [email protected]. Both B-roll video and interviews about the mock emergency will be available via download from Dropbox.

PEACH SPRINGS, AZ (PRWEB) SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

A mock disaster drill will be conducted Wednesday Sept. 14, 2016 at the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. The drill, hosted by Grand Canyon West and the Hualapai Tribe, will simulate a tour helicopter failing to gain altitude and hitting a bus filled with visitors. The accident results in numerous injuries, fatalities and a massive debris field.

Multiple emergency preparedness agencies from the State of Arizona, the federal government and tribal and municipal first responders will participate in the drill, along with private sector companies vendors (see complete list below). The exercise will test the nationwide public safety broadband network established in the aftermath of September 11th to ensure better response to public safety crises. The 9/11 Commission found that first responders from the various public safety agencies had difficulty communicating with each other in a crisis situation on existing systems. Upon completion in 2022, the network will cover all 50 states and six U.S. territories.

In February 2012, President Obama signed legislation that created the First Responders’ Network Authority (FirstNet) to build a nationwide communications system dedicated to public safety. The mock drill is being conducted because there is concern, especially among many Tribal nations, that some rural areas may not be receiving adequate coverage from FirstNet.

Participants in the mock disaster drill include:

  • Hualapai Nation Police and Fire Departments
  • Grand Canyon West Airport Fire Department
  • Grand Canyon Resort Corporation
  • U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs
  • Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs
  • Arizona Department of Public Safety
  • Mohave County Emergency Management
  • Mohave County Sheriff’s Office
  • Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office
  • Bullhead City Fire Department
  • Kingman Fire Department
  • Arizona National Guard
  • Arizona Department of Administration
  • Arizona Department of Health Services
  • Hospitals in Arizona and Nevada

The following vendors have provided time, expertise, and technology for the exercise:

Mutualink: Mutualink is an IP-based multimedia communication resource sharing platform that allows public safety agencies and