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

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39 S e c t i o n 4 “When I got to the airport, my impression was one of total chaos. There was confusion and disorientation at the outer doors as to how to handle all the arriving family members, to the point where I had to argue to get in in spite of the fact that I said I was the wife of a person who had been on the plane involved in the accident.” – Family member from an aviation disaster While no two aviation disasters are alike and timelines can vary significantly, the response process typically follows a general pattern (see Figure 3). Being familiar with this pattern can help airports anticipate the flow of events and understand how family assistance fits within the context of the response. • Preparedness occurs prior to an aviation disaster and is ongoing with airport staff and all stakeholders. • Incident response occurs in the initial 24 hours. It is the period prior to the arrival of air carrier or NTSB go-teams, when family assistance activities such as victim accounting, FRC and PGA operations, and family/survivor reunification may be occurring at the airport. This includes three sub-phases: – Immediate response period (0 to 4 hours), – Short-term response period (4 to 12 hours), and – Extended response period (12 to 24 hours). • Recovery can last from 1 day to a couple of weeks (sometimes several weeks); it is the inter- mediate response phase, when family assistance activities occur principally at an off-site FAC operated by an air carrier. During this phase, the airport transitions back to normal operations. • Post-recovery may continue for years after an aviation disaster. Family assistance considerations include anniversaries, monument construction, dedications, and other commemorations. Preparedness Preparedness is “. . . a continuous cycle of planning, organizing, training, equipping, exercis- ing, evaluating, and taking corrective action in an effort to ensure effective coordination during incident response” (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2016). Airports should actively engage in a continual process of planning that includes but is not limited to training on a regular basis, exercising to validate the competencies identified within the plan, and critical reviews of actual incidents and exercises. The airport should undertake planning, training, and exercises not just for firefighting and lifesaving activities but also for family assistance and communications during emergency operations. This will better position the airport to respond to and support survivors and families and provide for their needs. The airport should develop working relationships with partner agencies and assess which resources will be available to support family assistance operations. Response Phases and Tasks

40 establishing a coordinated Local Family Assistance Program for Airports Incident Response: Immediate Response (0 to 4 Hours) Immediate Response Activities – Aviation Disaster Site This period of time is when fire, police, and medical resources are focused on life safety issues and incident stabilization, including firefighting, rescue, triage, and transport of injured passen- gers and crew. It should be noted that, based on the complexity of the aviation disaster or lack thereof, time frames may be shortened or lengthened to meet the need of the response. Key tasks during the immediate response period include: • Life safety, • Scene security, • Property protection, and • Coordination between responders and airport EOC. This initial period can prove to be chaotic and become a resource drain on the airport. Personnel will likely be diverted to assist with the actual response or to assist in the airport EOC. Airports should anticipate that their internal resources will quickly be drained and ensure that all those involved in the response are aware of their unique roles and responsibilities. Smaller airports should work with local emergency management officials to request mutual aid sup- port that can be quickly dispatched to the site to assist in coordinating the initial response. Command and Control Unified Command Depending on the location of the accident, airport personnel may not be initially involved in the command structure of the response. However, as soon as the airport is notified, it should send a representative to the site to be involved in the UC structure. UC is a concept included in the ICS under the NIMS and allows multiple agencies to coordinate the response to a single incident, developing a single set of objectives to include the concerns of all involved agencies. Airport personnel should be included in the UC structure so that they are aware of all actions taking place at the disaster site and can relay this information to the airport EOC. The airport UC representative should report information from the initial scene up to airport leadership and the airport EOC. This information includes an estimated size of the aviation disaster site, anticipated number of injuries and fatalities, and the anticipated response needs. General Aviation Airport Note General aviation planners should con- sider when planning for family assistance that some members of their teams and community-wide teams may have roles in various volunteer agencies involved in the initial response, such as a volunteer fire department. Do not assign duties that overlap. Ensure that team members understand their roles during the various phases of the response. Figure 3. Phases of incident response and recovery.

Response Phases and tasks 41 This information should be updated as often as possible to allow the airport to adjust and place resources in the areas of highest need. The airport EOC should share information with the UC representative on what actions the airport is taking, when the family assistance program is being activated, and what resources are available to support the initial response activities. Immediate Response Activities – Family Assistance During this period, the airport and affected air carrier (if applicable) focus on the setup and initial operations of the PGA, FRC, and reunification location. They also address gathering and relaying information, and the air carrier begins making notification of involvement to affected families. In the initial hours after an aviation disaster, there may be urgent and significant family assis- tance requirements at the origin, destination, and disaster site airports. Families may already be on-site; they may have just seen loved ones off on a flight or may be awaiting their arrival. When they learn about an aviation disaster, families will often drive to the airport to obtain information about their loved ones, particularly if they are not able to obtain informa- tion through other means. Airports should be prepared for a potentially large number of families and friends urgently seeking information on the whereabouts and status of their loved ones. Airport leadership should be interacting with the affected air carrier as soon as it is aware of the aviation disaster. Early and constant inter- action will ensure that the two entities coordinate family assistance activi- ties and do not duplicate efforts. This will also allow the airport to know when to anticipate the arrival of the air carrier go-team that will establish and operate the FAC. This will assist with determining how long the airport FRC will remain operational. If the air carrier does not have representatives at the airport, its corporate head- quarters should be contacted. For non-legislated aviation disasters, there may be no air carrier or aircraft operator to support the response. In these instances, airports need to be prepared to obtain information about the aviation disaster, including the number of crew and passengers, origin and destination, affected air carrier or aircraft operator, and any available information on the whereabouts and status of passengers and crew. This will help airport leadership determine which of the family assistance facilities (FRC, PGA, CRA, and reunification location) it will need to open in order to provide immediate services, as well as the potential duration of those operations. Incident Response: Short-Term (4 to 12 Hours) The short-term response period addresses the window of time when NTSB and air carrier go-teams are in transit. During this period, typically 4 to 12 hours, initial lifesaving activities have concluded and the site will likely be secured and awaiting the arrival of investigators. Wait- ing families and friends will still be gathered at the airport FRC seeking reunification with their loved ones or information on their whereabouts and status. The FAC often takes a minimum of 12 hours to become operational, so the FRC will continue to be the focus of in-person family assistance response during this period. In some instances, airports may have agreements in place with air carriers to support initial setup of the FAC at a designated airport hotel; transition from the FRC to the FAC may occur earlier in these cases. General Aviation Airport Note Much of this phase may be facilitated using local response agencies, non- profits, and other supporting agencies. All the roles should be documented in the airport’s Family Assistance Plan.

42 establishing a coordinated Local Family Assistance Program for Airports Short-Term Response Activities – Aviation Disaster Site Once the initial life safety and property preservation operations have concluded, the response will turn to site security and evidence preservation. Firefighting, rescue, triage, and medical transport are usually, but not always, completed within 4 hours. In more complex incidents, life safety efforts may be hampered by the condi- tion of the scene, the number of casualties, or the proximity of resources to the aviation disaster scene. These types of incidents can extend beyond the initial 4 hours and into the short-term response phase. The location of an aviation disaster can affect the response timeline: the closer to a more populated environment, the greater the likelihood of a more rapid response. If the aviation disaster site is remote, first responders may be limited in number and may have to travel long distances to access the scene. Short-Term Response Activities – Command and Control In the 4- to 12-hour window following a disaster, initial response agencies may no longer be involved in command and control activities and may take on more supporting roles. The composition of the UC may change, and some agencies may no longer be represented or may transition to a supporting role. A representative from the medical examiner’s/coroner’s office should be added to the UC if the aviation disaster has resulted in multiple fatalities. Airport representatives in the UC may determine that they are best served to become liaison officers to the UC and only provide input from airport leadership, or they may determine it is in the airport’s best interest to remain in the UC and support making decisions on response objec- tives. This decision may largely depend on the amount of resources available to the airport and should be made on a case-by-case basis. However, at no time should the airport lose its connec- tion to the UC. Both entities need to remain aware of actions being taken at the respective sites. Short-Term Response Activities – Family Assistance In the short-term response period, face-to-face family assistance will continue to be provided at the airport, with the possibility of many more families arriving as news of the aviation dis- aster spreads. Concerns will intensify. Families will want to know if their loved ones were on the affected plane, where they are, and how they are. They will want to be reunified, they will want access to information and resources, and they may become increasingly frustrated in the absence of answers and assistance. Information management becomes a central focus of FRC and PGA efforts. Briefings need to be conducted at regular intervals. Staff in the FRC and PGA will gather contact information and additional details from families, friends, and uninjured passengers in order to support reunifica- tion and victim accounting. The Red Cross, clergy, and others will assist with basic services for and support of those affected. Legislated and responding air carriers will be performing a number of family assistance activi- ties from their headquarters locations. They will be operating a toll-free family inquiry number and making telephonic contact with many families; they may begin the process of assigning SAT members. They will also be making initial arrangements for the FAC, launching their investiga- tions and family assistance go-teams, and making travel arrangements for families wishing to travel to the accident location. The NTSB will also launch a go-team. This will include an investigator in charge (IIC) who will lead efforts to determine the probable cause of the accident, and in legislated aviation dis- asters, it will also include a representative of the TDA Division to coordinate family assistance efforts with responding agencies.

Response Phases and tasks 43 Incident Response: Extended (12 to 24 Hours) This is the period when family assistance activities largely transition off of the airport. The NTSB will begin investigative operations at the aviation disaster site; the affected air carrier will establish FAC operations at a nearby hotel or conference facility. Final reunifications should be completed, families will move from the FRC to the FAC, and uninjured survivors will seek to reclaim personal belongings and continue travel or return home. Extended Response Activities – Aviation Disaster Site As NTSB investigators arrive, they will coordinate with police, fire, and emergency services and assume leadership of aviation disaster site activities. Local responders may remain involved but will work in partnership with the NTSB IIC. Photo 1 shows NTSB investigators at the crash site of Asiana 214 in San Francisco, CA, on July 7, 2013. The accident occurred on July 6. Extended Response Activities – Family Assistance During this phase, uninjured survivors are likely to be especially concerned with recovery of personal belongings from the aircraft. These can only be released with the authorization of the NTSB or agency in charge of the scene. Efforts should be coordinated with the appropriate agency and the affected air carrier (if applicable). Also during this phase, FAC operations may be established. Legislated air carriers and some other operators will establish and operate an FAC at a hotel or conference center near the air- port; this is a place for families to receive information and assistance while the NTSB’s field investigation is being conducted and while they await identification and return of deceased loved ones’ remains. Arriving air carrier go-teams will set up processes at the FAC for check-in, registration, and badging; they will reserve rooms for family briefings and various support services; and they will address logistical considerations such as catering and transportation. Air carriers will often deploy two SAT members per supported family; in aviation disasters with large numbers of casu- alties, the air carrier may reserve multiple hotels to accommodate families and responding staff. During this phase of the response, reunification should be complete. The emphasis should be on preparing families to transition from the FRC to the FAC, a process that is discussed in Photo 1. NTSB investigators at the Asiana 214 crash site. Courtesy of NTSB Flickr.

44 establishing a coordinated Local Family Assistance Program for Airports depth in Section 7. There may also be ongoing victim accounting activities supported by the airport’s EOC. For non-legislated accidents without air carrier or aircraft operator support, there is unlikely to be a formal FAC. The airport can provide valuable assistance to affected families by coordi- nating with the ARC or other volunteer organization to find suitable accommodations should families wish to remain near the airport. Joint Family Support Operations Center In legislated aviation disasters, the air carrier will also reserve space at the FAC for a JFSOC. The JFSOC is staffed by representatives from the NTSB TDA Division, the air carrier, ARC, and other key stakeholders named in the Federal Plan or who are critical to family assistance opera- tions. In some instances, the airport may be asked to send a liaison to the JFSOC, but based on past aviation disaster responses, this would be unusual. Additional information about the JFSOC is available in the Federal Family Assistance Plan for Aviation Disasters (National Transportation Safety Board, 2008). Recovery (1 Day to 2 Weeks) At the conclusion of the incident response phase, airport staff will largely transition out of their family assistance response roles and resume normal duties. Media scrutiny, site opera- tions, and transiting families will continue to affect the airport, but investigation and family assistance management will have transitioned to the NTSB and the affected air carrier or air- craft operator. Recovery Activities – Aviation Disaster Site The NTSB’s field phase of the investigation may last anywhere from several days to 2 weeks or more. This is when NTSB staff and other experts examine the crash site and wreckage, interview witnesses, recover flight and cockpit data records (if possible), and gather other data needed to conduct their investigation into the cause of the disaster. These activities will be conducted on airport property if the event is on-site. Extended Response Activities – Family Assistance Airports will continue to be affected by the aviation disaster during the recovery phase. Survivors, families, and friends may still be on-site or transiting through the airport at this time; they should be treated with respect and empathy, and every effort should be made to shield them from the media, curiosity seekers, and other passengers. Families or survivors may also request a site visit; if the site is on airport property, some coordination with the NTSB, air carrier, and ARC will be necessary. Finally, ongoing media attention and presence can also be expected. Post-Recovery (2 Weeks to Years) The final phase in the response process is post-recovery. This phase of the incident is gener- ally viewed as a multiyear process and includes site restoration, dedication of monuments, and families’ commemorative observances (aviation disaster anniversaries). This phase is discussed in detail in Section 9.

Response Phases and tasks 45 Section 4: Incident Response Phases and Tasks Summary This section summarizes incident phase considerations. Every aviation disaster is different, but there is a general pattern to how the response unfolds. Knowledge of this pattern can help inform family assistance planning efforts. Preparedness is an ongoing process that occurs pre-incident. It includes developing, train- ing to, and exercising airport and stakeholder procedures. Incident response takes place in the first 24 hours post-disaster. It consists of three phases: • Immediate (0 to 4 hours), • Short-Term (4 to 12 hours), and • Extended (12 to 24 hours). This is the period when airport involvement is greatest. Family assistance programs should focus on this period and address: • Information gathering and management, • Coordination with site UC, • Establishing FRC and PGA operations, • Coordination with affected air carriers, • Victim accounting, • Reunification, • Return of personal effects to uninjured survivors (with air carrier and agency in charge of the scene), and • Transition to off-site FAC (if one is established). Recovery begins when families have transitioned to the FAC or an off-site location and when the NTSB IIC assumes leadership of disaster site operations. Airport considerations during this period include: • Closing the FRC, PGA, CRA and reunification location; • Maintaining awareness of transiting families and survivors and offering assistance; and • Supporting a site visit (if on airport property). Post-recovery is ongoing for an indefinite period of time, potentially for years. Airport con- siderations for this long-term phase include: • Anniversary commemorations, and • Monument dedications.