Chapter 1
General
1.1 NEED FOR EMERGENCY PLANNING PROCEDURES
1.1.2 Each airport emergency plan should be a
co-ordinated programme between the airport and the surrounding community. This
is desirable as the planning and procedures needed to handle major emergency
situations on the airport are similar to other types of major emergencies that
can strike a community. Inasmuch as the airport may be the transportation hub
for any community emergency situation (whether it be an aircraft accident, a
natural disaster, an explosion, or even a severe storm), its role in any
community emergency situation should be well established. Each
airport/community has individual needs and peculiarities, but, in spite of the
political, jurisdictional and agency differences, the basic needs and concepts
of emergency planning and exercises will be much the same and involve the same
major problem areas: COMMAND, COMMUNICATION and CO‑ORDINATION.
1.1.3 The airport emergency plan will be
implemented similarly whether it is an on‑airport or an off‑airport
aircraft accident/incident. It is only in jurisdiction that changes will be
noted. In an on‑airport aircraft accident/incident, the airport authority
will normally be in command. In an off‑airport aircraft
accident/incident, the agency in command will be the agency agreed upon in the
mutual aid emergency agreement pre‑arranged with the surrounding
community. When an aircraft accident/incident occurs just outside the airport
perimeter, the jurisdictional responsibility will be as agreed upon in the
mutual aid emergency agreement pre‑arranged with the surrounding
community. This, however, should not affect the immediate response by airport
personnel or by agencies having roles in the airport emergency plan.
1.1.4 The airport emergency plan should
include a set of instructions to ensure prompt response of rescue and fire
fighting, law enforcement, police/security, medical services, other agencies on
and off the airport and other competent, trained, expert personnel,
adequate to meet all unusual conditions.
1.1.5 To be operationally sound, a
comprehensive airport emergency plan must give consideration to:
(a) preplanning BEFORE an emergency;
(b) operations DURING the emergency; and
(c) support and documentation AFTER the emergency.
1.1.6 "Before the emergency"
considerations include planning for the handling of all factors that could bear
upon effective emergency response. Preplanning should define the organisational
authority and the responsibilities for developing, testing and implementing the
emergency plan.
1.1.7 "During the emergency‑
considerations depend on the stage, nature and location of the emergency. The
situation may change as the rescue work progresses. (For example, while the
airport fire chief or designee would normally be the first person in command of
the emergency forces, this officer may thereafter become one of several staff
officers as other responding officers from other agencies assume their
specified roles at the command post under the jurisdiction of the designated
"on‑scene" commander.)
1.1.8 "After the emergency"
considerations may not carry the urgency of preceding events, but transitions
of authority and responsibility at the scene need to be thoroughly discussed
and planned in advance. Some personnel, who in early stages have a direct
operational assignment, subsequently may be required to remain on the scene and may
assume a supportive role (i.e. police/ security personnel, rescue and fire
fighting personnel, airport authority and public works). Thus, it is also
necessary to preplan for such supportive services, and to consider problems
related to restoring or maintaining protective services to permit continuation
of normal airport/aircraft operations which may have been disrupted by the
emergency. The need to communicate the termination of the emergency to
supporting agencies (hospitals, ambulances, etc.) so they can return to
"normal" operation should also be considered. Documentation of the
various operations in an emergency is an aid to the gathering and organising of
data for various post accident/incident reports. It also can provide the
structure for a critique of the emergency and can be used as a format for
improving the procedures and arrangements in the emergency plan.
1.1.9 The recommendations set forth in this
manual are based on the paramount need for survival of aircraft occupants and
other casualties resulting from the aircraft accident/incident. The
stabilisation and emergency medical treatment of casualties is of equal
importance. The speed and skill of such treatment is crucial in situations
where life hazards exist. An effective rescue effort requires adequate
preplanning for the emergency as well as execution of periodic practice
exercises.
1. 1. 10 the recommendations should take into
account operations in all weather conditions such as extreme heat and cold,
snow, rain, wind or reduced visibility. They should also allow for potential
accident locations in difficult terrain surrounding the airport environment, i.e.
bodies of water, roads, depressions and other problem areas.
1. 1. 11 The material contained herein should
not be in conflict with local or State regulations. A principal purpose of this
document is to alert participating departments or agencies, which may be called
to an aircraft emergency, that conflicts can exist because of overlapping or
non-existent local regulations. It is hoped that this information may be useful
in resolving problems that actual emergencies have brought to light.
12 An important consideration of the plan is
the identification of all materiel resources that can be utilised to manage the
emergencies identified within the airport emergency plan. It is incumbent to
include in the planning process the most effective
method of acquiring these resources and placing them where needed in a timely manner.
1.2 RESPONSIBILITY
1.2.1 Each
airport authority should be responsible for establishing emergency plans and
procedures to deal with all unusual conditions at the airport and for co‑ordinating
the plan with surrounding community authorities. The airport authority also
should have the responsibility for assignment of emergency personnel and
equipment provided by all concerned departments and agencies, and for providing
maximum aircraft/airport emergency services and mutual aid.
1.2.2 The plan should spell out the co‑ordinated
response or participation of all existing agencies which, in the opinion of the
authority, could be of assistance in responding to an emergency. Examples of
such agencies are
(a) On the airport
(1)rescue and fire fighting services;
(2)medical
services;
(3)police and/or security services;
(4)airport administration;
(5)air traffic services; and
(6) aircraft operators.
(b) Off the airport
(1)mutual aid police;
(2)mutual aid local fire departments;
(3)medical services;
(4)hospitals;
(5)government authorities;
(6)military;
(7)harbour patrol or coast guard; and
(8)all other participating agencies.
1.2.3 The airport authority should ensure
that all participating agencies having duties and responsibilities under the
emergency plan are familiar with their assignments. They should also be
familiar with other agencies' duties in the emergency plan. The responsibility
and role played by each agency for each type of emergency are described in
Chapter
1.3 ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AIRPORT
EMERGENCY PLAN
1.3.1 The purpose of an airport emergency plan is to
ensure that there is:
(a) orderly and efficient transition from normal to emergency
operations;
(b) delegation of airport emergency authority;
(c) assignment
of emergency responsibilities;
(d)
authorisation by key personnel for actions contained in the plan;
(e)co‑ordination of efforts to cope with the emergency; and
(f) safe continuation of aircraft operations or
return to normal operations as soon as possible.
1.3.2 It is imperative
that the airport authority arrange emergency mutual aid agreements which define
responsibilities and/or liabilities of each contributing party with
surrounding communities. These agreements should include at least the
following:
(a) clarification of
the political and jurisdictional responsibilities of the several agencies that
may be involved in order to avoid problems when an emergency occurs;
(b) establishment of the command authority;
i.e. a single on‑scene commander (with designated alternates if
necessary);
(c) designation
of communication priorities at the accident site;
(d) organisation of emergency transportation facilities under a predominated co‑ordinator(s);
(e) predetermination
of the legal authorities and liabilities of all co‑operating emergency
personnel; and
(f) prearrangements for use of portable and
heavy rescue equipment from available sources.
1.3.3 Off‑airport
accidents in adjacent mountains, marshes, deserts, or water can present unique
and difficult access and logistical problems. It is therefore important that
communities so located have adequate plans for rescue in such areas. This could
require an analysis of the availability of such special service vehicles as
fire boats, rescue boats, helicopters, hovercraft, swamp buggies, snowmobiles,
half‑tracks, forest fire fighting equipment, etc., and arrangement for
their utilisation. Consideration also may need to be given to:
(a) the availability of specialised rescue teams such as scuba divers,
mountain or desert squads, ski patrols, search dogs and bomb squads;
(b) the handling of radiological incidents or chemical spills; and
(c)equipment for the emergency transfer of fuel from the aircraft wreckage,
from a water surface, or from pools formed in ground depressions, etc