Emergency Response “More than just a Plan”

Crisis-Advisors.com

Jason Kelly • Crisis Advisors – President • Based in Houston, Texas

– Emergency Response planning & training • Training at your airline offices • Emergency Response Drills / Exercises • Gap analysis of existing ER plans & programs

– Accident / Emergency consulting • Consulting and strategy based on experience and knowledge • Onsite or by telephone

– GHS Aviation • Strategic partnership Crisis-Advisors.com

Jason Kelly •

(1999 – 2011) – Director of Emergency Management (2007 – 2011)

Continental Airlines Continental Connection Continental Airlines Flight 3407 Flight 1404 Flight 128

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Paradox of Safer Air Travel • Safer Air Travel – Dramatic reduction in frequency of accidents • SMS Programs, Crew Resource Management, Aircraft Reliability & Design

• Expectations of the Media, Passengers, Family members, and the public – Airline staff have been trained and “know what to do”

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Paradox of Safer Air Travel • Paradox for airlines – Few airline employees have actual aircraft accident experience – Low probability – “It won’t happen to us”

– High impact event • Can damage the airline brand – Loss in public confidence » Damage stock price, result in rebranding, purchase by another airline, or bankruptcy

– No time for training / learning immediately after an accident Crisis-Advisors.com

Building an Emergency Response Team • Employees as volunteer ER team members – The ER Manager cannot implement the ER Plan alone • ER team members will implement the ER Plan • With guidance from ER Manager

– Similar to building a new Division in your airline • Key leadership positions • Managers to support ER team members • Enough ER team members to implement the ER Plan

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Assessing your Emergency Response Program • Do you have ER Organizational Charts? – Listing each position • Employee(s) assigned to each position? • Or is your “Team” still a “Pool” or open group without assignment?

• Do ER Team Members know what their specific responsibilities are during an accident? • Are your ER Team Leaders holding meetings with their ER Team 2 times each year? • When was your last drill / exercise? Crisis-Advisors.com

Assessing your Emergency Response Program • Planning ratios – Aircraft type • Boeing 777 = 300 passengers & crew • Airbus A320 = 150 passengers & crew

– 10 family members per fatality • 300 passengers & crew = 3000 family members • 150 passengers & crew = 1500 family members

– 1 to 2 Airline SAT members per passenger / crew member • Boeing 777 = 300 to 600 SAT members • Airbus A320 = 150 to 300 SAT members Crisis-Advisors.com

Assessing your Emergency Response Program • Airline Safety Investigation Team – Go Team members identified by • Aircraft type • Engine type

– Understand ICAO Annex 13 Accident Investigation • Have enough qualified Go Team members for each “Working Group” – 8 Working Groups

• Other “Parties” to the investigation – – – – – –

“State” of lead investigating agency Aircraft manufacturer Engine manufacturer Airport Authority Pilot group Flight Attendant group Crisis-Advisors.com

Emergency Response Drills / Exercises • Conducted 2 times each year – Different scenarios – Train multiple employees for each position / backfill – Cross train employees

• Executive involvement – Chance to learn the Emergency Response Plan – Give the ER Manager guidance on changes

• Drill / Exercise debrief – Identify problems / deficiencies / gaps in your ERP – Assign action items for corrective action – Continual improvement of the ERP and program Crisis-Advisors.com

Role of the Emergency Response Manager • Emergency Response Program – Ensuring the airline is in a state of readiness – Identifying deficiencies / gaps • Reporting to senior management

• Drills / Exercises or during an accident – Subject Matter Expert (SME) about Emergency Response – Seated next to the Head of the Airline Command Center • Guidance – Emergency Response Policies – Emergency Response Plan content

– Go Team Leader – Family Assistance Center Leader Crisis-Advisors.com

Emergency Response Plan • Scenarios – Turbulence injuries – Survivors accident – Fatality accident

• ERP Checklists – Separate for each position – Checklist items (not just an explanation)

• Emergency Response Policies – How much will you pay survivors? – Will you pay to have baggage cleaned and returned? – Will you refund tickets Crisis-Advisors.com

Emergency Response Plan • ERP Sub-sections / plans – – – – –

Each department needs a section Do not wait for a department to create their own plan Create a template plan with checklists Let the department review and edit their section Test their section during Drills / Exercises

• Laws for different countries – Emergency Response requirements

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United States – Foreign Air Carrier act of 1997 • US Federal Family Assistance Plan for Aviation Disasters – Responsibilities by agency / airline • Operating Airline – 32 Victim Support Tasks (VSTs)

– Oversight • NTSB Transportation Disaster Assistance (TDA)

– Enforcement • Referral to Department of Transportation – Fine or Revocation of US Operating Certificate

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US Federal Family Assistance Plan for Aviation Disasters • Emphasize to media that • Notify NTSB family members will Immediately receive basic information • Provide NTSB reconciled and contacts for initial humanitarian support copy of passenger & • Ask media to emphasize crew manifest accident flight number, • Provide a reliable Toll origin, connection free telephone number airports, and final with staffing capacity destination • Provide media with • Distribute Toll free continuous updates about telephone number to family notification media Crisis-Advisors.com

US Federal Family Assistance Plan for Aviation Disasters

• Modify Reservations “on-hold” music • Provide timely notification to family members • Provide notification to family members if airline will release passengers names to media

• Inform family members of assistance offered by Red Cross • Secure facilities at Departure, Arrival, and Connecting airports for family • Secure a Hotel to be used as the Family Assistance Center • Include provisions in the hotel for a JFSOC Crisis-Advisors.com

US Federal Family Assistance Plan for Aviation Disasters • Provide travel for family members to the accident city • Assist family members during their travel • Provide a contact person to meet family members upon arrival • Coordinate daily with family members who do not travel to the accident city

• Designate a company officer who will be the airline’s representative to the NTSB onsite • Establish a badging system for family members at the FAC • Participate in daily coordination meetings onsite with NTSB • Coordinate with DMORT onsite at FAC Crisis-Advisors.com

US Federal Family Assistance Plan for Aviation Disasters • Provide US Department of State with International Passenger information • Coordinate with Red Cross onsite • Coordinate recovery of passenger & crew Personal Effects • Consult with family about an airline memorial & monument

• Provide same assistance for families of non-revenue passengers • Coordinate broadcast of NTSB hearing at Origin, Destination, and accident city • Coordinate with NTSB for an accident departing or arriving in the US, that has crashed outside of US territory • Coordinate with FBI if accident is deemed a criminal or terrorist act Crisis-Advisors.com

Family Assistance Laws in other countries • • • • •

Australia Brazil China European Union (EU) countries South Korea

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Emergency Response Vendors • Can provide – Experience and knowledge – Staffing

• Challenges – Do not have a “Go Team” Aircraft • May not arrive until day 2 or 3

– May have much lower staffing numbers than you planned

• Airline – Should have a “Vendor Management Section” in the ERP – Should practice drills / exercises with Vendor Crisis-Advisors.com

Emergency Response Metrics • Measuring your Emergency Response Program – Number of trained SAT members • Initial & Recurrent training

– – – –

Number of SAT Team meetings held each year Number of Drills / Exercises each year Number of corrective action items implemented “Reflection” of similar size airlines • ER Programs / Teams / Exercises

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During an accident • ER team members – Set up new Division in new city – Within 24 hours – 300 ER team members

• ER Manager – Not enough time to focus on a specific task – Maintain the “big picture” of the ERP • Ensure the emergency response is “on track” • Delegate most functions to ER team leaders • Serve as subject matter expert – Assist executives with ER decision Crisis-Advisors.com

Thank you [email protected] +1-832-545-1029 Crisis-Advisors.com