First responders conduct emergency exercise at O’Hare

Emergency personnel from over 30 agencies have converged on O’Hare International Airport Saturday for a “realistic emergency exercise.”

The exercise began at 10 a.m. and includes a simulated aircraft fire, the Chicago Department of Aviation said. The exercise is meant to “test the capabilities, mobilization, communication and coordination among agencies.”

The exercise also features volunteers posing as airline passengers, with theatrical makeup applied to make it look like they have been injured, authorities said.

“Travelers may see a heightened police presence and emergency vehicle stage,” Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a tweet. “This is all part of the exercise.”

The exercise is expected to be finished sometime in the early afternoon, Guglielmi said.