Ruth Haines
Airport emergency plans are designed to minimize the possibility and extent of personal injury and property damage in the event of an emergency. These plans include procedures for responding to various emergencies, such as aircraft accidents, and include provisions for medical services, rescue operations, and coordination between airport and control tower functions. To ensure effectiveness, airport emergency plans must be reviewed regularly and full-scale exercises must be conducted to prepare for potential real-world emergencies.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To minimize the possibility and extent of personal injury and property damage during an airport emergency |
| Review frequency | Once every 12 consecutive calendar months |
| Exercise frequency | Each holder of a Class I Airport Operating Certificate must hold a full-scale airport emergency plan exercise at least once every 36 consecutive calendar months |
| Communication | Include a communications network and procedures for notifying relevant facilities, agencies, and personnel of emergency details |
| Coordination | Coordinate airport and control tower functions relating to emergency actions |
| Rescue | Provide provisions for rescuing aircraft accident victims from significant bodies of water or marshlands adjacent to the airport |
| Medical services | Include instructions for medical services, including transportation and medical assistance for the maximum number of people on the largest aircraft served by the airport |
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What You'll Learn
Minimising personal injury and property damage
Airport emergency plans are designed to minimise the possibility and extent of personal injury and property damage in an emergency. The plan should include procedures for a prompt response to all types of emergencies, including a communications network. To achieve this, the following should be considered:
Communications Network
A robust communications network is essential for coordinating emergency responses and ensuring the safety of individuals and property. This includes effective coordination between airport and control tower functions during emergencies.
Medical Services
Airport emergency plans should include provisions for medical services and transportation for the maximum number of people that the largest aircraft served by the airport can carry. This involves listing the names, locations, and contact information of nearby hospitals, medical facilities, and medical personnel who have agreed to provide assistance.
Rescue Operations
Plans should also outline the rescue squad, ambulance service, military installation, and government agency resources available at the airport and in the surrounding communities. Additionally, provisions should be made for rescuing aircraft accident victims from significant bodies of water or marshlands adjacent to the airport.
Regular Reviews and Exercises
To ensure the effectiveness of the plan, it is crucial to review it regularly with all involved parties. This includes conducting full-scale airport emergency plan exercises at least once every 36 months for Class I Airport Operating Certificate holders. Regular reviews help identify any gaps or areas that require improvement and ensure that all parties are aware of their responsibilities.
Consistency with Security Regulations
Airport emergency plans should also align with approved airport security programs and any applicable FAA and Transportation Security Administration security regulations. This includes following instructions for responding to specific types of emergencies outlined in the regulations.
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Communications network and coordination
Airport emergency plans are designed to minimise the possibility and extent of personal injury and property damage in the event of an emergency. A key component of these plans is establishing a robust communications network and coordination framework. Here are the critical aspects of this framework:
Communications Network
A reliable communications network is essential for effective emergency response. Airport emergency plans should include procedures for prompt and efficient communication during emergencies. This entails establishing clear channels of communication between all relevant parties, including emergency response teams, airport staff, control tower personnel, and external agencies.
Information Sharing
The plan should outline protocols for sharing critical information with the relevant facilities, agencies, and personnel. This includes details such as the location of an aircraft accident, the number of people involved, and any other pertinent information that can assist in the emergency response. Ensuring that the right information reaches the right people in a timely manner is crucial for effective coordination.
Coordination of Airport Functions
Airport emergency plans must also address the coordination of airport and control tower functions related to emergency actions. This involves ensuring seamless collaboration between different airport departments and entities, including ground staff, security, and air traffic control. Regular drills and exercises can help refine these coordination procedures and ensure that all personnel are familiar with their roles and responsibilities.
External Agency Coordination
Beyond the airport premises, coordination with external agencies is vital. Airport emergency plans should outline procedures for engaging with local hospitals, medical facilities, rescue squads, ambulance services, military installations, and government agencies. This includes maintaining up-to-date contact information for these entities and establishing mutual aid agreements or memorandums of understanding to facilitate a swift and coordinated response.
Regular Plan Reviews
To maintain the effectiveness of the communications network and coordination framework, airport emergency plans should be reviewed regularly. Reviews should involve all parties with whom the plan is coordinated to ensure that everyone is abreast of their responsibilities and that the plan reflects the latest information and best practices. These reviews should occur at least once every 12 consecutive calendar months, as stipulated in the airport emergency plan guidelines.
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Rescue operations in water or marshlands
In the event of an aircraft incident or emergency landing in water or marshlands, the airport emergency plan should outline the following key components:
- Rapid Response Team: A designated team with specialized training in water or marshland rescue should be identified. This team should be equipped with the necessary gear, including watercraft, flotation devices, and any tools specific to the marshland environment, such as mud-rescue equipment.
- Emergency Services Collaboration: Close coordination with local emergency services, such as fire departments, rescue squads, and ambulance services, is essential. These services should be included in the planning process, and their resources and response capabilities should be well understood.
- Rescue Strategies: Depending on the nature of the incident, different strategies may be employed. For example, in the case of a submerged aircraft, rescue divers may be required to access the aircraft and assist passengers. In marshlands, the use of specialized vehicles or hovercraft may be necessary to navigate the terrain and reach the incident site.
- Medical Assistance: Ensuring prompt medical attention for those involved in the incident is critical. The plan should outline procedures for transporting injured individuals to medical facilities, taking into account the potential challenges of the terrain and the need for specialized medical equipment and personnel.
- Crowd Control: In the event of a major incident, crowd control measures may be necessary to manage bystanders or family members who may gather at the airport or incident site. Coordinating with security agencies and local law enforcement can help maintain order and facilitate the rescue operation.
- Regular Training and Drills: To ensure the effectiveness of the rescue operation, regular training and full-scale drills are imperative. These exercises help familiarize all involved parties with their roles and responsibilities, identify areas for improvement, and promote a swift and coordinated response.
By incorporating these considerations into the airport emergency plan, rescue operations in water or marshlands can be effectively managed, maximizing the chances of a successful outcome.
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Medical services and transportation
The AEP outlines the airport's capacity to deliver medical treatment and transportation during emergencies, including aircraft crashes or other incidents. It identifies the availability of public and private medical facilities, as well as mortuary services, both within the airport premises and in the surrounding community. The plan should also designate specific areas for staging personnel, uninjured individuals, injured casualties, and the deceased.
To ensure effective medical response and transportation, the AEP should include detailed information about nearby hospitals and medical facilities willing to provide assistance. This includes their names, locations, contact information, and emergency response capabilities. Additionally, the senior medical coordinator should be familiar with requesting support from Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs) and Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams (DMORTs).
In the event of an emergency, ambulances and other emergency medical vehicles should be equipped with grid maps of the airport and provided with safe access to the incident site. This may involve escorts or clearly marked pathways using cones and barricades, especially when the airport remains operational. The coordination of airport and control tower functions is crucial to ensuring the timely arrival of emergency medical services.
Furthermore, the AEP should address the needs of individuals with functional disabilities. This may include providing wheelchairs and lift services to assist passengers in disembarking from the aircraft and accessing the quarantine facility. The quarantine location should offer essential amenities, such as sleeping quarters, bathing facilities, entertainment, and communication access. Additionally, it should provide or facilitate access to medical care, along with supplies and staff for food preparation, cleaning, counselling, and other necessary services.
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Full-scale emergency plan exercises
The frequency of full-scale emergency exercises can vary, with some airports mandated to conduct them every three years. These exercises are designed to simulate aircraft mass casualty incidents, as defined by the US Department of Health and Human Services. During these exercises, airports activate their emergency plans, collaborating with firefighting and rescue agencies, law enforcement, medical organizations, the FAA, and other relevant entities.
The planning process for a full-scale emergency exercise is extensive and requires a significant commitment of time and resources. Airports can utilize tools and resources provided by organizations like the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and their Airport Cooperative Research Program, to develop effective exercise programs. These programs offer sample exercise tools and plans, checklists, and road maps to enhance emergency response capabilities.
To maximize the benefits of full-scale emergency exercises, airports should incorporate post-incident evaluations, such as hotwashes and debriefs. Hotwashes are informal discussions conducted immediately after an incident or exercise to gather initial feedback. On the other hand, debriefs are more structured evaluations scheduled after a certain interval to present observations and gather specific information from responders and stakeholders. These evaluations are critical for identifying areas of improvement and enhancing overall emergency preparedness.
By conducting full-scale emergency plan exercises and leveraging post-incident evaluations, airports can build muscle memory for emergency response, improve coordination with external agencies, and increase confidence in their ability to handle real-life crisis situations effectively. These exercises are a vital component of ensuring the safety and well-being of airport staff, passengers, and the wider community.
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Frequently asked questions
An airport emergency plan is a set of procedures designed to minimise the possibility and extent of personal injury and property damage in the event of an emergency at an airport.
An airport emergency plan consists of instructions for responding to various emergencies, including medical services, aircraft accidents, and coordination between airport and control tower functions. It also includes a communications network and provisions for notifying relevant facilities, agencies, and personnel of the location and other details of an aircraft accident.
According to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), each certificate holder, typically the airport operator, is responsible for developing and maintaining an airport emergency plan. The plan must be reviewed at least once every 12 months with all the parties involved to ensure that everyone understands their responsibilities and that the information in the plan is up-to-date.
