2026 Full-Scale Triennial Exercise

What is the Triennial Exercise?

Required under Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Part 139, the triennial exercise is a realistic, scenario‑based event that tests Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport’s coordinated response to a simulated aircraft accident. The exercise activates the Airport Emergency Operations Center, deploys fire and medical units, and uses volunteers to portray passengers, family members, and friends. It is the closest we can get to a real emergency without impacting daily operations.

Why We Do It

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport conducts these exercises to:

1. Meet or exceed federal regulations
   
   
2. Provide hands‑on, immersive training for airport and mutual‑aid responders
   
   
3. Evaluate new equipment, procedures, and emergency plans, such as the Airport Emergency Plan and Post‑Disaster Family Assistance Plan

Training together gives responders a clear view of how their roles integrate within the airport’s emergency structure, building stronger coordination and improving readiness during real events.

Exercise Details

This year’s full‑scale event, Tri‑Ex 26, will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, across multiple locations on and around the airport campus. More than two dozen partner agencies will participate, along with more than 270 volunteers. Exercise check-in will begin at 9 a.m., followed by an exercise briefing at 10:30 a.m. The exercise will officially begin at 12:30 p.m. and is expected to conclude at approximately 4:30 p.m.

Exercise Contacts

Exercise Participants

• ACE Parking
• Airport Chaplaincy
• American Airlines
• American Red Cross
• Arizona Air National Guard
• Arizona Coalition for Healthcare Emergency Response (AZCHER)
• Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA)
• Arizona Department of Health Services
• Arizona Department of Transportation
• Arizona Statewide Independent Living Council (AZSILC)
• Arizona State University College of Nursing and Health Innovations
• City of Phoenix Office of Emergency Management

• City of Phoenix Aviation Department
• City of Prescott
• Coyote Crisis Collaborative
• Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
• Dignity Health
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• Federal Express (FedEx)
• Kind Hospitality
• Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management (MCDEM)
• Maricopa County Department of Public Health
• Maricopa Medical Reserve Corp
• Maricopa Integrated Health Systems
• Marriott Phoenix Airport
• Mesa Fire Department

• National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
• National Weather Service (NWS)
• Phoenix Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
• Phoenix Police Department
• Phoenix Fire Department
• PHXTV (PHX Channel 11)
• Scottsdale Fire Department
• SSP America
• Tempe Fire Department
• Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
• United Parcel Service (UPS)
• United Service Organizations (USO)
• Valleywise Health

Photos of Past Exercises