Meridian Airport Authority and local first responders held a practice drill Tuesday morning to test their response in case an emergency were to occur.

Melissa Mathis, creative marketing manager for Meridian Airport Authority, said the airport is required to test its emergency response every 36 months. Tuesday’s exercise, she said, was a simulation of a plane crash.

“This year, the scenario was a CRJ200 that was en route to Houston, Texas, from Meridian Regional Airport and had a catastrophic flight control failure which ultimately caused the plane to crash here at Meridian Regional Airport,” she said.

The exercise was made of a school bus to act as the plane’s body and orange cones placed around the scene to represent fire, Mathis said. First responders had to put out the fire before reaching the plane and treating wounded passengers.

One of the most important functions tested during Tuesday’s practice drill was communication, Mathis said. In a real emergency, first responders from the Mississippi Air National Guard, City of Meridian and Lauderdale County will all be involved in the response effort, she said.

Mathis said making sure the different agencies and officers are communicating and coordinating is vital to succeed in both the training simulations and preparation for a real emergency if one should occur.