BROWARD COUNTY, FL - Broward County's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), in collaboration with a variety of airport stakeholders, will be conducting a full-scale active threat training exercise from 11PM on Thursday, June 23, 2022, through 3AM on Friday, June 24. The "Operation Nightingale" drill is scheduled to occur mainly inside Terminal 1's Concourse A and a portion of the Rental Car Center, but will also involve the staging of police, fire rescue, and medical transport vehicles in exterior areas of FLL, including along the terminal curbside, airfield, and perimeter roadways.
During the FEMA-compliant mass-casualty exercise, there will be fictional but realistic scenarios with live "simunition" gunfire as law enforcement personnel engage with multiple assailants (actors). A cordoned-off area of Concourse A will be filled with volunteers acting in a range of roles at designated gates, passenger-waiting areas, and/or outside of airport shops and restaurants to create as realistic scenes as possible.
Operation Nightingale will be the third active assailant/active shooter training drill conducted by FLL in recent years. Two similar exercises with different scenarios took place in December 2019 and April 2018.
This year's multifaceted and expanded training exercise will include the test activations of the airport's Emergency Operations Center, on-site (Terminal 4) and off-site Family Reception Centers (Dania Beach hotel), and 'victim' transports to hospitals in Broward County. The event will bring together over 500 volunteers and first responders to test emergency response capabilities and build resiliency/collaboration among airport partners.
Overall, the exercise aims to train and familiarize airport employees with FLL's emergency and readiness procedures in partnership with the Broward Sheriff's Office Law Enforcement and Fire Rescue Divisions. Other training partners include Broward County Emergency Management, the Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, and JetBlue Airways. Representatives from area hospitals and local municipalities will also take part to test their communications, emergency response, and coordination capabilities.
Impact on Community/Travelers
The drill is not expected to impact travelers or motorists arriving at or departing from the airport given that the event is scheduled for after regular business operation hours. Additionally, no impacts on public roadways near the staging area are expected. Signage alerting the public to this planned after-hours training activity will be posted along key highways and roadways near FLL, the airport's entrance roadways as well as inside the terminals.
About Broward's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Airport generated $37.5 billion in economic activity annually and nearly 18,000 direct, local jobs. Currently, FLL is one of the fastest-recovering U.S. airports, with domestic passenger traffic approaching pre-pandemic levels. In 2021, the Airport served nearly 28.1 million passengers. FLL is located in Greater Fort Lauderdale in the heart of Florida's Gold Coast. The Aviation Department, FLL's operator, is a self-supporting agency of the Broward County Board of County Commissioners that does not rely on local tax dollars for operations and capital improvements. The department also operates North Perry Airport, a general aviation facility for private and charter aircraft operators. Call 954-359-6100 for more information. For updates on airport programs and services, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or visit fll.net.
June 23, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT: Arlene Satchell, Public Information Officer
Broward County Aviation Department
PHONE: 954-359-6116/6201
EMAIL: asatchell@broward.org