The scenario was one all too familiar to members of the fire department, including Firefighter Brian Cobb and Chief James McLauglin.

At about 8:15 a.m. Wednesday, Warwick Police received a report of a gas leak at a residence on LaSalle Drive, adjacent to Green Airport. A subject was injured and gas was escaping from the building. But this time it was just a test, for which both are thankful.

There is no residence on LaSalle Drive, not anymore. The houses were acquired and removed some years ago by the Rhode Island Airport Corporation. The hissing sound simulating escaping gas was created by compressed air. A code red alert was sent to homes in the vicinity informing them this was an exercise.

National Grid coordinated an exercise, which McLaughlin said was the first-ever Rhode Island simulated response drill to a gas leak or break. He said the location couldn’t have been better. It is relatively close to two elementary schools – Lippitt and Wickes – near major highways, and close to the airport. The location required taking into consideration traffic, possible evacuation of surrounding homes and schools as well as airport operations. Yet, being on an unused street, the exercise didn’t tie up traffic.

The exercise lasted about two hours and was in planning for a couple of months, according to Joseph Gilliard with National Grid. It was followed by a debriefing session and analysis at National Grid in Providence.

“It’s about building relationships,” Gilliard said of the drill. Tabletop exercises are frequently used to map out how different agencies would coordinate a response to an emergency. An onsite exercise, however, brings people face to face and helps each group understand the capabilities and responsibilities of all of the responders. In addition to police, fire and National Grid, Airport Police, Warwick Water and the city Department of Public Works responded to the scene. Mayor Scott Avedisian showed up to observe the practice.

“The best part,” he said, “we all know one another…we know what to expect.”

Gilliard said National Grid would conduct similar simulated gas leaks on an annual basis in other Rhode Island communities. Warwick was the state’s first.

For those who know the history of Warwick, natural gas leaks have an ominous ring. Over the last 35 years there have been three house explosions related to gas leaks. McLaughlin and Cobb remembered them all.

This time, rather than grimaces, there were smiles and even some jokes about how “cleanly” the house on LaSalle Drive disappeared.