Portland officials outline emergency plans for potential aviation incidents at PDX

PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — All eyes are on Washington D.C. as crews work a recovery mission after a collision between a jet and an airplane on Wednesday night.

In Portland, top local officials say they are prepared if the worst happens at PDX International Airport.

READ ALSO: Recovery efforts after Wednesday's mid-air collision mirror 1982 crash into the Potomac

James Merten, a port security specialist for recovery and salvage with the U.S. Coast Guard, tells KATU his agency would take the lead on emergency response and recovery if something were to happen. He also says they are always training for the worst-case scenario.

“One of the main things that we have is we have a thing called the River Safety Task Force and that brings together a group of its Coast Guard, its fire and law enforcement, and other port partners that all have vessels,” Merten said. “What we do is we practice for this type of event, right, and for on-water catastrophes.”

One training called the River Safety Task Force meets monthly, according to Merten. Then another, called the Columbia Splash, meets a couple of times a year for its training as well. That training specifically stimulates a plane crash into the water.

A spokesperson with the Port of Portland issued the following statement about the tragedy in Washington, D.C., and the preparedness at PDX:

"We are deeply saddened by the tragedy that occurred Wednesday evening over the Potomac River. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the families, loved ones, and everyone in the aviation community impacted by this devastating event.

At PDX, the safety of travelers, employees and crew members is our top priority. While airports do not oversee many aspects associated with air travel safety–like managing the airspace or aircraft maintenance—our teams are first responders in the event of an incident at or near PDX.

Our fire department is specially trained in aircraft rescue and firefighting and how to evacuate passengers, so we’re prepared for emergency situations. As part of our compliance with FAA regulatory requirements, firefighters maintain annual certifications. We have a fleet of specialized fire apparatus for the unique challenges of aircraft firefighting and a boat for water rescues, in addition to mutual aid agreements to call upon additional resources when necessary.

We also hold regular drills to ensure our readiness for emergency response on water and land, along with triennial full-scale exercises (with mutual response agencies and airline partners) to test our coordinated efforts. While we hope those scenarios will never occur, we know it is critical to be prepared."