In a move to assess emergency preparedness and strengthen inter-agency coordination and response mechanisms, Cochin International Airport Limited, in coordination with the National Disaster Management Authority, conducted a chemical hazard mock drill on Tuesday. The drill was part of a two-day disaster management exercise held at CIAL. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) and the district administration were also part of the exercise. The drill was based on a simulated transportation accident involving a vehicle carrying liquid chlorine near Athani Junction, leading to a release of chlorine gas. As per the assumed meteorological conditions, the gas plume was projected to move towards the airport area, necessitating timely emergency response measures. The exercise was aimed at validating emergency preparedness, response coordination and decision-making mechanisms under the Incident Response System (IRS) framework. The mock drill commenced at 2 p.m. at the T1 Arrival baggage area, a high-occupancy non-aviation zone, and involved coordinated actions by airport emergency services, Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) teams, CISF, medical responders and disaster response agencies. Key response actions included area isolation, regulated passenger movement, emergency medical triage, hazardous material handling and activation of communication and command structures. The exercise is carried out with inter-agency coordination among CIAL, NDMA, NDRF, SDRF, SDMA, Kerala police, State Fire & Rescue Department, Health and Transport departments, KSEB, Airport Authority of India, APHO and various other PSU’s. The drill tested the functionality of emergency operations protocols, warning systems and business continuity measures. A review and debriefing session were held at 4.30 p.m., during which observations from the exercise were discussed and recommendations for further strengthening preparedness were recorded.