According to the Port of Seattle, Sea-Tac Airport will conduct a full-scale emergency exercise simulating an aircraft crash on Wed., July 30th, between 9am and Noon.

The exercise will test airfield disaster preparedness and response as required by the FAA every three years.

It’d be cool if something like this happened, but we kinda doubt it:

According to the Port:

With the availability of the soon-to-be-activated third runway, this will be the first full-scale exercise to occur on a Sea-Tac runway in at least 25 years. The exercise will NOT affect or delay any air travel. Both of Sea-Tac’s current runways will be open as normal and the exercise will NOT affect any customer activity within the terminal.

Over 100 volunteers will participate as ‘victims’ next to a mock-up aircraft fuselage placed in the middle of the third runway along with wrecked cars representing various debris designed to drill extrication procedures. Volunteers will arrive at approximately 6:30 a.m. for make-up to represent a variety of injuries that will test medical care triage practices.

Dozens of the King County area mutual aid police and fire agencies will participate in the exercise with an estimated 50 -75 pieces of equipment from fire engines to aid cars and up to 175 fire fighters. Additional police officers from the area are also expected to participate alongside first responders from the Port of Seattle Fire and Police Departments, Sea-Tac Airport Security, Airport Operations, Public Information and the Port Environmental team.

In addition, other key exercise participants will include airport and airline representatives, the FAA, the Red Cross, King County Emergency Management Division, and the King County Medical Examiner.

A comprehensive report will be prepared post-exercise to identify any gaps in emergency plans and then prioritize follow-up corrective actions.

SOURCE:

• Port of Seattle

Last Thursday, Burien Towing’s Mark Storer, 51, and his son Brian, 24, were killed in a floatplane crash near Shelton, WA.

A memorial service for both has been scheduled for this Thursday, July 31st at 11am at the Church by the Side of the Road, which is located at 3455 S 148th Street in Tukwila (map below).

According to the Burien Towing website:

• Mark and Brian took the afternoon off work to spend some time together in Mark’s amphibious airplane.
• The two were last seen enjoying the day on Lake Nahwatzel, before the plane’s engine failed shortly after taking off. Both died in the crash.
• Mark was a dedicated father and husband. He loved his family and will be missed by many.
• Brian was married and was a father of 2 young boys, ages 2 and 1. He also loved his family very much and will be missed.
• Both Mark and Brian dedicated much of their lives to the family business. Airport Towing mourns their passing and supports the families they have left behind.
• Any gifts or cards for the families are currently being collected at the main office:

Burien Towing
817 SW 149th Street
Burien, WA 98166

• All who knew Mark and Brian are invited to attend the service.
• Prior to the ceremony, a procession will lead the family to the Church from the Airport Towing office at 817 SW 149th Street in Burien. The lead car will leave the office at 10am.
• If you would like to join the procession, please arrive prior to 9:45am at the Airport Towing office for staging.
• All law enforcement vehicles, fire apparatus, tow trucks, and motorcycles are welcome in the procession.
• For more information on the procession, fill out the Contact form and Jared will respond to your inquiry.
• Following the service will be a reception at the Church. All are welcome to attend.
• A fund is currently being set up to benefit Brian’s family. Brian leaves behind a wife of 3 years and two sons, ages 2 and 1. Information on the Storer Family Memorial Fund will be posted when available.
• More information is available at jaredstorer.blogspot.com

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SEATAC – In another sign that the economy is tanking, American Airlines announced that it will lay off 22 workers at SeaTac Airport beginning Sept. 5th as part of a “nationwide staff reduction.” The announcement was made Tuesday in a warning notice filed with the state Employment Security Department. Nationwide, American plans to eliminate 6,500 employees, or about 8 percent of its work force.

Some employees may leave the company voluntarily with a severance package designed to bridge the gap between full-time employment and retirement, the company said.

American and most other major airlines plan to cut back flying beginning this fall to allow fuel-guzzling older aircraft to be grounded and to cull unprofitable flights from their schedules.

American hasn’t yet announced specific flight reductions at SeaTac, but it’s expected that the airline will consolidate some of the multiple flights it schedules between here and its hubs in Chicago and Dallas.

SOURCE:

• The News Tribune

Lots of fun celebrations planned around the area for the 4th of July (which just happens to fall on Friday, July 4th this year):

SEATAC:

5pm: The fun kicks off with a special patriotic music performance by the Washington Wind Symphony (Patriotic Music) in the park at Angle Lake, located at 19408 International Blvd.

10pm-ish: Fireworks will light up the sky over the lake and park!

BURIEN:

Noon-3pm: Olde Burien will be hosting a ‘Harley meets Vespa’ BBQ Street Party. The Vespa Club of Seattle will have a large contingency of scooters included in the parade.

3pm: The 85th annual Burien Independence Day parade starts on Ambaum Blvd. SW and SW 149th, then turns east on SW 153rd to 2nd SW then loops back to Ambaum on SW 152nd.

Before the parade, hop on your bike and take part in the 33rd annual Joe Matava Classic and Washington State Juniors Criterium bike races along SW 153rd and 152nd streets.

THREE TREE POINT:

1/2pm+: One of the most charming local neighborhood kids’ parades in the USA happens as kids dress up their trikes, bikes, scooters and pets and parade down SW 172nd to earn the reward of an ice-cold popsicle. Oh yeah, be sure to wear a helmet kids, as about halfway down the street you’re going to be pelted by some wacky neighbors throwing candy! After the parade, be sure to hang out around the corner of SW 172nd and Maplewild where there will be lots of great kids games with prizes.

10pm+: Professional neighborhood Fireworks display blasted off a barge anchored just off the point.

NORMANDY PARK:

10:25am: The celebration begins at Marvista Elementary with the 7th Annual All Downhill Fun Run followed by a parade. The parade leaves the school at 10:30am, traveling north on Marine View Drive to Shorebrook Drive, then west to the Normandy Park Cove. Kids are invited to decorate their bikes, scooters and other modes of transport in the holiday spirit and enter the bike-decorating contest. Prizes will be awarded for the best patriotic decorations.

At the Cove there will be free ice cream, hot dogs, beverages, popcorn, snow-cones, music, car show, inflatable kids toys and more.

Marine View and Shorebrook will be closed to all cars from approximately 9:30am to Noon.

DES MOINES:

6pm: Family events, food, arts, crafts, kids activities, entertainment and more, including singer Joey Jewell, who will do his musical tribute to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin with a backing big band.

DUSK: 7th Annual “Fireworks Over Des Moines” presented by the Des Moines Arts Commission and launched from the marina pier.
For more information, call 206-870-6527 or visit www.desmoineswa.gov.

TUKWILA:

2pm+: celebrate Independence Day AND Tuwkila’s Centennial at Tukwila’s “Family 4th at the Fort” at Fort Dent Park, located at 6800 Fort Dent Park Way.

Events include children’s fun, with inflatable bouncers, slides, climbing wall and preschooler’s area. Fireworks go off around 10pm, and there will also be food and entertainment.

For more information, call 206-768-2822 or go to www.ci.tukwila.wa.us/recreation/recevent.html.

MUSEUM OF FLIGHT:

11am & 2pm: Skyway Post 9430 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars will present all 27 versions of the American flag’s history in the William M. Allen Theater at the Museum of Flight, located at 9404 East Marginal Way South in Tukwila.

On Friday July 4th and Saturday July 5th, the museum’s exhibits, galleries and store will remain open until 7pm.

NOTE: If you notice that we’re missing any area events from this listing, please email us!