Establishing a Coordinated Local Family Assistance Program for Airports (2017)

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1 What happened? Where is my loved one? Where do I get information? Who can help me? These are just some of the questions survivors and families are likely to ask in the immediate aftermath of an aviation disaster. How should an airport respond? There is no one-size-fits-all solution for providing family assistance. There is a saying in the industry that “when you’ve seen one accident, you’ve seen one accident.” Each aviation disaster has its own unique issues and variables, and in no aspect is that more true than when assisting families and survivors affected by the event. In the immediate aftermath of an aviation disaster, an airport cannot know how or if an air carrier will respond to the families and friends who will come to the airport seeking answers. Some air carriers have a robust program to assist families and conduct exercises of the program; some air carriers do not. In some situations, immediate family assistance responsibilities may fall to airport and local personnel. Therefore, it is critically important that airports have a coordinated local family assistance program (called the “family assistance program” throughout this guidebook) in place. An effective family assistance program should take into consideration multiple factors. An aviation disaster can occur at any airport: origin, destination, or diversion. It can involve any type of aircraft. Passengers can be from anywhere in the world. There may be multiple injuries and fatalities. Families and friends seeking information may live locally and be on-site very quickly, or they may be traveling across time zones and cultures to be near loved ones. Recent experience has shown that media attention will be intense following an aviation disaster. Public scrutiny will be high, and the airport may be in the national and international spotlight. All of these factors create considerable complexities for information management and victim accounting, and an effective family assistance program should address the full spectrum of response possibilities. The purpose of this guidebook is to equip U.S. airports of all sizes with the information and tools to write, train, conduct exercises of, and implement a coordinated family assistance pro- gram. It provides a process for developing a family assistance program that addresses the airport’s immediate logistical and operational needs following an aviation disaster. This guidebook is based on research such as case studies; document reviews; and interviews with airports, air carriers, responding agencies, survivors, and families of victims of aviation disasters. It incorporates additional guidance and insights shared by other airports and gleaned through program development, training, exercises, and first-hand experience. Several guiding principles form the foundation of this guidebook and an effective family assistance program. • Family assistance is a coordinated effort. It requires many different responding entities and agencies. Roles, responsibilities, and relationships can and should be established in advance. Introduction

2 Establishing a Coordinated Local Family Assistance Program for Airports • Families and survivors are navigating an unfamiliar environment in what may be a time of crisis. Providing information and assistance is paramount to their long-term recovery. Building trust, establishing rapport, meeting needs, and acting with compassion are important. • The family assistance program requires an ongoing commitment to maintenance, training, exercises, and revisions. Like any effective plan or program, it is not a one-time effort. • When implemented, a strong, coordinated family assistance program does not just benefit family members and survivors; it benefits responders, airport customers, and the airport itself. It benefits responders by instilling the confidence to know how to effectively respond to an event they rarely encounter. It benefits airport tenants and passengers by removing the crisis from ticket counters and public areas and helping facilitate the return to normal operations. It benefits the airport by demonstrating the organization’s preparedness and its ability to serve passengers, tenants, and the community in the most trying of circumstances. Safety, security, and service to the community and the flying public are core values for most airports. The goal of this guidebook is to equip airports to represent those values when an aviation disaster occurs.