Many emergency personnel gathered at the Shenandoah Regional Airport Thursday to participate in a drill to test the airport's emergency response protocol.

The drill was based on the idea that two planes collided mid-air and only one was able to continue to the airport. Upon landing, that plane would break.

During the drill, smoke and fire filled the runway and airport fire crews respond first to assess the situation.

Calls went out to crews from Grottoes, Weyers Cave, Augusta County, Staunton, Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

Volunteer victims were on the ground, calling for help.

Airport officials say they're practicing for a worst case scenario.

"Hopefully we'll see that the agencies work very well together to effect a good response. More importantly, we hope to learn today on areas we need to strengthen or improve as far as a collaborative response to an incident, be it at the airport, or even off the airport for a large scale incident," says Greg Campbell, the airport's executive director.

The airport is required to go through emergency drills every three years. The last one was preparing for the avian flu and in 2003, the drill was based on a hijacking situation.

A meeting will be held in the next few weeks to evaluate the airport's response to Thursday's drill.