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    Published on October 01, 2025

    Owensboro Health Participates in Community-Wide Emergency Drill at Regional Airport

    A CONTOUR-branded airplane is parked on a runway with smoke coming from its rear. Several people, some in red shirts, are lying on the ground around the plane in various positions. The scene appears to depict a simulated emergency or training exercise. The sky is mostly clear with scattered clouds, and grassy fields are visible in the background.

    On September 30, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital joined more than a dozen community partners in a full-scale emergency preparedness exercise at Owensboro-Daviess County Regional Airport.

    The scenario involved an explosive device that made it through checkpoints and detonated on the tarmac as passengers were boarding a flight. Responders from multiple agencies worked together to triage, treat and transport victims, secure the scene, and coordinate communication across local, state, and federal partners.

    Participating agencies included: Kentucky State Police, Daviess County Emergency Management, 911 Dispatch, Daviess County Fire Department, FAA/Air Traffic Control, Daviess County Sheriff’s Department, A.M.R. Ambulance, Red Cross, Owensboro Fire Department, Air Evac, FBI, Daviess County Coroner, Daviess County Public Information Officers, Kentucky Emergency Management, Contour Air, Owensboro Police Department and GRITS.

    Katie Case, Emergency Management Coordinator at Owensboro Health, explained the importance of these exercises:

    “There are multiple reasons why this is so important to our community. These types of exercises strengthen relationships with our community partners. It also stretches the hospital beyond our normal capabilities and teaches our team members to adapt and work together for the common goal of ‘do the greatest good for the greatest amount.’”

    The exercise is part of a required three-year cycle, with today’s drill being a full-scale event. By practicing realistic scenarios, Owensboro Health and its community partners ensure readiness to respond quickly and effectively should an emergency ever occur.

    About Owensboro Health

    Owensboro Health is a nonprofit health system with a mission to heal the sick and to improve the health of the communities it serves in Kentucky and Indiana. The system includes Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, nationally recognized for design, architecture and engineering; Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital; Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center; the Owensboro Health Medical Group comprised of over 350 providers at more than 30 locations; four outpatient Healthplex facilities, a certified medical fitness facility, the Healthpark; a weight management program, and the Mitchell Memorial Cancer Center.

    On average each year, we have more than 19,000 inpatient admissions, deliver 2,000 babies and provide the region’s only Level III NICU. Owensboro Health physicians perform nearly 33,000 surgical procedures, including nearly 150 open-heart surgeries. Our physicians and staff have 90,000 Emergency Department visits and more than 1.25 million outpatient visits annually. Visit our home page for more information.