Dane County Regional Airport Completes Triennial Emergency Preparedness Exercise

September 28, 2026
Michael Riechers, (608) 220-5454
Airport

MADISON, WI – Dane County Regional Airport completed a full-scale emergency preparedness exercise early Monday morning, bringing together airport officials, area first responders, Dane County Emergency Management, and other supporting organizations to test the airport’s emergency response plans, systems, and procedures.

The exercise simulated an emergency incident at the airport and included community volunteers serving as role players to add realism and training value for participating agencies. Airport Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) crews also participated in live-fire training using a specialized apparatus designed to simulate an aircraft-related emergency on the airfield.

“Emergency response training is an important collaborative exercise between multiple Dane County Departments and local emergency response teams,” said Dane County Executive Melissa Agard. “Thank you to the many Dane County employees who have worked for months on planning this exercise and also to the members of our community who stepped up to help make this training a success.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires commercial airports to conduct a full-scale emergency exercise at least once every three years. These exercises are designed to evaluate an airport’s emergency plans and provide an opportunity for participating agencies to practice responding to an incident in a controlled environment.

Monday’s exercise focused on several key areas of emergency response, including communications, firefighting capabilities, family reunification, and coordination among responding agencies. Several Dane County agencies participated in the exercise, including teams from the Dane County Regional Airport, Dane County Emergency Management, and the Dane County Sheriff’s Office.

“Exercises like this give our emergency responders an opportunity to work together in a realistic environment and identify opportunities to strengthen our response,” said Airport Executive Director Mark Papko. “We appreciate the many agencies, organizations, and community volunteers who dedicated their time and expertise to making this exercise possible.”

Dane County Regional Airport provides convenient, low-stress, and affordable travel options for both leisure and business travelers, offering nonstop service to 19 destinations and one-stop access to nearly every major city worldwide. The airport continues to invest in terminal improvements and passenger amenities, including new and updated dining options, free Wi-Fi, Mother’s Lounges, children’s play areas, meeting rooms, and an indoor pet relief area. Visit msnairport.com for more information.

###