National Search and Rescue Committee (NSARC) Secretariat Issue Paper

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "National Search and Rescue Committee (NSARC) Secretariat Issue Paper"

Ophelia Patterson
5 years ago
Views:

1 Natinal Search and Rescue Cmmittee (NSARC) Secretariat Issue Paper Status: Cntingency Airspace and Air Missin Management during a Disaster Respnse (13 June 2012) Issue The fllwing issue paper prvides infrmatin n the issues relating t cntingency airspace and air missin management during a disaster respnse. Air Management Wrk Grup (AMWG) In April, 2010, the Aviatin Management Wrking Grup (AMWG) fficially became a subgrup task frce f the Natinal Incident Management System (NIMS) Wrking Grups. AMWG was tasked t submit recmmendatins t FEMA n hw t effectively imprve cntingency airspace and air missin crdinatin supprting respnse effrts addressing large scale incidents, especially thse assciated with natural disasters. AMWG meetings in which bth f these issues were discussed include the fllwing: Jan 11: AMWG meeting, New Orleans, Luisiana: Mr. Rbert Sweet, Senir Advisr, Directrate fr Operatins Security, Federal Aviatin Administratin (FAA), cnfirmed that the FAA is respnsible fr cntingency airspace management and that prcedural airspace de-cnflictin is in place, especially fr visual flight rules (VFRs) during a disaster. COL Miles, USAF, 1AFNORTH, nted the key issue is t refine the Temprary Flight Restrictins (TFRs) by designating inbund and utbund altitudes and reprting f certain infrmatin. In additin, COL Miles stated that it wuld be wrth discussing at the Federal level the benefits and feasibility f develping an Emergency Supprt Functin (ESF) that incrprates cntingency airspace management JUN 11: AMWG met in Seattle, WA. Prvided updates n the Incident Cmmand System (ICS) Air Operatins Branch. Discussed the develpment f a white paper t submit t FEMA and ther interested partners justifying the grups interest in: 1) Ptentially develping a separate Emergency Supprt Functin (ESF) fr Aviatin, which is nt incrprated in ESF #1 Transprtatin; and 2) Identify avenues and ptins fr cnslidating aviatin respnse amng multiple partners and incrprating NIMS. 13 OCT 11: AMWG held a cnference call. Participants again expressed interest in prpsing a recnfiguratin f the ESF#1 Transprtatin. The AMWG was ntified that this and ther issues expressed were utside the scpe f the NIMS Wrking Grups and therefre nt a current fcus supprted by FEMA. 23 MAY 12: NIMS Aviatin Management Supprt Team (AMST; ld AMWG) held a cnference call. It was cnfirmed that FAA is the lead fr cntingency airspace management.

2 Status: Cntingency Airspace and Air Missin Management during a Disaster Respnse Cntingency Airspace and Air Missin Management Interagency discussins regarding hw t imprve the crdinatin f cntingency air missins during disasters have frequently revlved arund airspace management r airspace decnflictin. This matter encmpasses tw distinctly different, but interrelated issues: Cntingency airspace management - the use f cntingency air traffic and airspace measures (e.g., specialized Temprary Flight Restrictins) t safeguard and facilitate the harmnizatin and effective use f respnse air missins, which are frequently flwn by multiple Federal, State, lcal, and private sectr entities; and Cntingency air missin management the shared interagency wrk t identify available air assets, efficiently assign missins t a limited pl f aircraft, maintain situatinal awareness f peratins, and t dynamically decnflict and harmnize flight peratins. Cntingency Airspace Management The FAA is respnsible fr cntingency airspace management during a disaster. In supprt f this effrt, the FAA is develping the Airspace Management Plan (AMP) fr Disasters, Versin (02 Apr 12; Draft). This plan is specifically designed t address cntingency airspace management challenges and t leverage Federal, State, lcal, and Tribal/Territrial partnerships by applying the FAA s air traffic and airspace management peratinal expertise and capabilities, as well as its statutry authrity, t disaster respnse aviatin peratins. The FAA peratinally implements the AMP thrugh a brad array f peratinal respnse measures, including the use f 14 CFR Temprary Flight Restrictins (TFRs) and ther air traffic and airspace management measures. The AMP is als designed t link t ther Disaster Aviatin Plans (i.e., AFNORTH, FEMA, CBP, USCG, State Emergency Management Agencies, Natinal Guard units, ther partners, etc.). These ther plans ften address air traffic and airspace management measures specific t a State and/r disaster, which are develped and implemented in cperatin with the FAA. The AMP will supprt the Natinal Respnse Framewrk (NRF) and related plans addressing aviatin peratins, including ESF #1 Transprtatin Annex and the Catastrphic Incident Supplement (NRF-CIS). In past events the FAA has prvided air traffic cntrl (ATC) services and pre-existing Air Traffic Management (ATM) prcedures fr the affected airspace that helped t safeguard and facilitate flights participating in a respnse effrt and t enable cntinued peratins by aircraft cnducting nrmal peratins. Emphasizing the use f these existing capabilities strengthens the FAA s ability t prvide needed ATC and ATM related supprt t disaster respnse aviatin peratins, facilitates Natinal Airspace System (NAS) cnsequence mitigatin and recvery effrts, and imprves the safety f air traffic perating in a disaster area. Fundamentally, the FAA has develped and implemented a package f air traffic and airspace management measures that are scalable and flexibly adjusted t meet ften rapidly evlving disaster situatins n a case-by-case basis. The FAA can als request that DD, CBP r ther interagency partners prvide an airbrne Cmmand, Cntrl, Cmmunicatins (C 3 ) type f aircraft such as an E-3, E-2, r P-3 AEW t prvide air missin crdinatin and decnflictin related services within a TFR. In additin, these aircraft can prvide flight advisry services t Page 2

3 Status: Cntingency Airspace and Air Missin Management during a Disaster Respnse participating and nn-participating aircraft perating within the TFR. Als sme interagency partners may have pre-established plans t use airbrne tactical air missin managers such as the Air Tactical Grup Supervisr that are rutinely emplyed fr aerial firefighting. In summary, the FAA cntinues t aggressively crdinate cntingency airspace management prcesses and prcedures with ther Federal, State, Tribal, Territrial and lcal partners in preparatin fr future disaster respnse peratins. Cntingency Air Missin Management Cntingency air missin management is a separate issue frm cntingency airspace management. While the FAA is respnsible fr cntingency airspace management, the priritizatin, management, harmnizatin and crdinatin f aviatin missins in the cnduct f a cmplex disaster respnse has nt been adequately addressed. The challenge f cntingency air missin management is t harmnize multiple cmmand and cntrl chains t ensure effective use f limited aircraft in the cnduct f a disaster respnse. Fr example, the Incident Cmmander must have a significant pririty in the cnduct f aircraft missins, especially fr ESF #9 SAR peratins. Hwever, cntingency air missin management is nt slely an Incident Cmmander issue. Other aircraft, in supprt f the disaster respnse must als be priritized and assigned missins (e.g., lgistics, persnnel/medical transprt/evacuatins, etc.). All f these aircraft missins, either directly supprting the Incident Cmmander in respnse t the disaster, r ther aircraft missins cnducted t supprt and sustain the disaster respnse, must be harmnized between the different cmmand and cntrl structures, as well as crdinated with the FAA (cntingency airspace management). Key issues that must be addressed include, but are nt limited t the fllwing: Which Federal Agency is respnsible fr planning and supprting cntingency air missin management? While a State (Tribe r Territry) manages the disaster respnse within its respective State, which Federal Agency will be respnsible fr cntingency air missin management in supprt f the State(s)? Is this a FEMA respnsibility under NIMS? As suggested by the AMWG, shuld bth cntingency airspace and air missin management be crdinated thrugh an additinal ESF Annex? Cntingency air missin management encmpasses nt nly ESF #9 and ther air missins required by the Incident Cmmand during a disaster respnse, but als ther air missins required by ther ESFs and ther cmmand and cntrl ndes (e.g., Jint Field Office (JFO), FEMA Reginal Respnse Crdinatin Center (RRCC), Natinal Respnse Crdinatin Center (NRCC), etc.) as well. All f these air missins must be effectively managed and crdinated. The current ESF system, hwever, des nt address cntingency air missin management. Cnsider the fllwing: ESF #1 Transprtatin Annex. ESF #1 supprts all aspects f the natin s transprtatin system. Hwever ESF #1 states: ESF #1 is nt respnsible fr mvement f gds, equipment, animals, r peple. Cntingency air missin management is nt an ESF #1 requirement. ESF #5 Emergency Management Annex. ESF #5 states: Page 3

4 Status: Cntingency Airspace and Air Missin Management during a Disaster Respnse ESF #5 is respnsible fr supprting verall activities f the Federal Gvernment fr dmestic incident management. ESF #5 prvides the cre management and administrative functins in supprt f Natinal Respnse Crdinatin Center (NRCC), Reginal Respnse Crdinatin Center (RRCC), and Jint Field Office (JFO) peratins. ESF #5 is als nt respnsible fr cntingency air missin management. An additinal ESF Annex that specifically assigns Primary Agency(s) and Supprt Agency(s) respnsibilities in supprt f this critical safety and resurce management gap may be an effective alternative. N cntingency air missin management guidance. Summary There is n cmprehensive guidance fr the cnduct f cntingency air missin management. Hw will air missins be crdinated within the Incident Cmmand? Wh priritizes aircraft missins? Wh and hw are aircraft mnitred? Wh is crdinating and harmnizing cntingency air missin management with the FAA wh is managing the airspace during a disaster? This becmes a greater challenge in multi-state/multi-fema Regin disaster respnse peratins with several Incident Cmmands vying fr critical, but limited available aircraft. Cmmunicatins, navigatinal aids, and surveillance (e.g., radar) nrmally prvided by the FAA may be disrupted r therwise degraded. Airprts and airfields needed as aviatin respnse and recvery ndes may have cnstrained capacity due t unavailable r degraded airprt peratins, including aircraft grund supprt services such as refueling, passenger/carg handling, security, etc. A diverse mix f rtary wing and fixed wing platfrms, flwn by multiple peratrs frm different Federal State, Tribal, Territrial, and lcal authrities, as well as cntractrs, may be unfamiliar with the disaster area, yet are required t wrk safely and effectively tgether in the same airspace. Hw will these challenges be safely and effectively mitigated in the cnduct f cntingency air missin management in future disasters? The FAA is respnsible fr cntingency airspace management during a disaster. The FAA cntinues t address this issue with ther Federal partners and States (Gulf f Mexic States in particular) in preparatin fr hurricane seasn and ther disasters. Cntingency air missin management has nt been adequately addressed. Because this cmplex management issue will encmpass several ESFs and cmmand and cntrl ndes during a disaster, FEMA has the respnsibility fr rganizing and facilitating the interagency slutin. The Natinal SAR Cmmittee (NSARC), in revising the Catastrphic Incident Search and Rescue (CISAR) Addendum (Versin 3.0), has updated the Aircraft Management and Temprary Flight Restrictins (TFRs) Sectins t incrprate cntingency air missin management cnsideratins. Bth f these Sectins were reviewed and updated by the FAA. While nt all encmpassing, the purpse f develping these Sectins was t prvide the Incident Cmmander with general infrmatin n the use f aircraft fr the cnduct f ESF #9 SAR peratins and the challenges assciated with using multiple aircraft in a ptentially small Page 4

5 Status: Cntingency Airspace and Air Missin Management during a Disaster Respnse area. Hwever, as discussed in the CISAR Addendum, the use f aircraft fr ESF #9 SAR peratins must be harmnized and priritized with the use f ther aircraft during the respnse. Way Frward 1. NSARC member agencies shuld cntinue t wrk with the FAA in cntingency airspace management. As the respnsible Federal Agency with the statutry authrity and expertise t manage the natin s airspace (especially during a disaster), the FAA cntinues t wrk with ther Federal, State, lcal, Tribal and Territrial partners t ensure that reliable cntingency airspace management is effectively crdinated during a disaster respnse. 2. While cntingency air missin management is nt an NSARC issue, but an peratinal management issue that encmpasses many ESFs and cmmand and cntrl structures, NSARC member agencies, in particular the ESF #9 Primary Agencies (DHS/Cast Guard, DHS/FEMA, DD/NORTHCOM, and DOI/Natinal Park Service), shuld supprt FEMA as they develp an interagency slutin. 3. The NSARC Chair shuld draft a letter t the FEMA Administratr that details this peratinal cncern and NSARC s supprt t FEMA as they develp a slutin t this critical aviatin safety and management issue. Page 5

DOT 3 Hour Rule GoJet SOC Master Plan

DOT 3 Hour Rule GoJet SOC Master Plan DOT 3 Hur Rule GJet SOC Master Plan Backgrund The Department f Transprtatin s (DOT) rule establishes a hard time limit f three hurs after which airlines must allw passengers t deplane. While the rule applies