SEO Title
Disaster Airlift, Red Cross Partner on SMO Exercise
Subtitle
The disaster-preparedness event highlighted Santa Monica Airport's status as critical infrastructure in southern California.
Subject Area
Business Aviation
Channel
Safety
Company Reference
Red Cross
Teaser Text
The disaster-preparedness event highlighted Santa Monica Airport's status as critical infrastructure in southern California.
Content Body

On January 14, the Santa Monica Airport Disaster Airlift Response Team (SMO-DART) and the Red Cross hosted a disaster-preparedness exercise at Southern California’s Santa Monica Airport (SMO), highlighting the importance of the airport as critical infrastructure in a potential earthquake scenario. 

For the exercise, 10 aircraft delivered critical supplies to SMO during a simulation of the closing of the nearby 405 and 10 freeways and the Pacific Coast Highway. 

The Red Cross would, in a real disaster, transport the supplies from SMO to local areas in need of aid, to support the agency in West Los Angeles. The aircraft that flew supplies came from Whiteman, Van Nuys, Brackett, Compton and Torrance airports. SMO-DART is composed of volunteer pilots and is sponsored by the Santa Monica Airport Association. 

“Our mission is to activate in an emergency and act as an air bridge for the Red Cross and incident commanders,” said Dave Hopkins, vice president of the Santa Monica Airport Association.

Expert Opinion
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Ads Enabled
True
Used in Print
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Writer(s) - Credited
Matt Thurber
Content Label
Safety
Solutions in Business Aviation
0
Publication Date (intermediate)
AIN Publication Date
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