The municipal government of Caldas Novas (GO) confirmed on 21 October that Nelson Ribeiro Guimarães Airport will host a full-scale emergency exercise on Friday, 23 October, starting at 08:00 local time. The drill, coordinated by the 9th Military Fire-fighting Battalion, will replicate a passenger-aircraft crash with fire and multiple casualties. The scenario mobilises fire crews, SAMU ambulances, police, airport operator SOCICAM and local hospitals, meeting the International Civil Aviation Organization’s requirement that commercial aerodromes stage live-action exercises at least every two years. Though Caldas Novas handles mostly leisure charters and general aviation, the airport’s hot-spring tourism boom has increased seasonal traffic, making readiness a priority. Travellers and residents should expect roadblocks, sirens and smoke plumes during the morning. Flights are scheduled to resume as normal once the exercise concludes, but ground delays are possible if real emergencies coincide. Hotel transfer companies have been asked to adjust pick-up times and brief arriving guests. For mobility managers, the main impact is advisory: staff visiting Caldas Novas on assignment or incentive trips should avoid the airport perimeter and verify flight status on 23 October. The exercise also offers an opportunity for hotels and tour operators to review their own emergency plans, including multilingual evacuation instructions for foreign tourists. After-action reports will be shared with ANAC and the state civil-defence authority, feeding into Goiás’s broader aviation-safety programme. Successful completion may help the airport in its bid to attract additional scheduled services for the 2027 high season.
Source: Portal Caldas
