For the Lexington Emergency Management to fully realize its mission of preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery, the division relies on many government and community partners to ensure the safety and well-being of the community.
One such partner is Blue Grass Airport and its Director of Public Safety and Operations, Scott Lanter.
“The director’s position at Blue Grass Airport is a little unusual in that it oversees the law enforcement functions, the rescue and firefighting functions as well as general operations, “ says Lanter. “With the continued increase in passenger activity in both the commercial and general aviation sectors, we must meet new challenges and threats proactively to ensure the safety of our passengers and the community.”
Lanter joined the Blue Grass Airport public safety department in 1987 and rose through the ranks over the next 24 years. In 2001, he was named as Chief of Public Safety for the airport and in June, 2009, assumed the new position of Director of Public Safety and Operations.
The position has not been without extremes. Lanter had an integral role in the response and subsequent investigation of an aircraft accident at Blue Grass Airport. On the morning of August 27, 2006, Comair Flight 5191 took off from the wrong runway, and crashed on a farm adjacent to the airport. In the years that followed, Lanter was a member of the Flight 5191 Memorial Commission. He’s is an active member of the American Association of Airport Executives and served as President of the Great Lakes Chapter in 2015.
Every three years, the Federal Aviation Administration requires that Blue Grass Airport conduct a full-scale exercise that simulates an aircraft accident and response. Lexington Emergency Management along with other city and regional public safety partners assist the airport staff with this exercise.
“The exercise is just another example of how Blue Grass Airport and the city of Lexington work together,” says Lanter. “Working with Lexington Emergency Management, we constantly train and plan to collectively ensure the safety and security of everyone who utilizes Blue Grass Airport.”
Photo: Bill Straus Photography
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