You can read about the level of professionalism required of Naval Aviators (Marine pilots are Naval Aviators too) in their safety publication: APPROACH magazine.

http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/media/approach/default.htm

The material can be quite technical and maybe baffling if you aren't a pilot or interested in learning the terminology, but you can get a sense of what the pace of events can be in emergencies.

I'm sure the developer got a good deal on cheap land under the flight path to the runway......

Next will be the obligatory call to close the airfield.