STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES TACTICAL OPERATIONS 202.15b AIRCRAFT INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS EFFECTIVE: OCTOBER 2007 AIRCRAFT INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS Goals 1. To familiarize with Airport Index 2. To familiarize with duties of response agencies 3. To familiarize with transporting/housing of victims 4. To familiarize with airport communications 5. To familiarize with command structure 6. To familiarize with types of alerts 7. To familiarize with responders responsibilities 8. To familiarize with functions and duties 9. To familiarize with vehicle clearances 10. To familiarize with runway and taxiway closures 11. To familiarize with security of the scene 12. To familiarize with airline participation 13. To familiarize with vehicle staging areas 14. To familiarize with access to scene 15. To familiarize with injured/uninjured accident victims Objectives 1. Responsibilities associated with an aviation incident Page 1 of 9
Index Determination 1. The largest air carrier aircraft currently operated at FYI is the MD-80 series operated by American and Allegiant Airlines. However, the airport ARFF Index is B as determined by FAR 139.315, and based on the Bombardier CRJ series aircraft. RESPONSE AGENCIES/DUTIES 1. Medical personnel. a. Sufficient trained and qualified members are available at each medical center to provide services as required in the event of an aircraft incident. 2. Ambulance service. a. American Ambulance. 3. Law enforcement. a. Law enforcement responsibilities shall include, but are not limited to, mishap site security, terminal security, perimeter security, roadway management, and other tasks as deemed necessary by the incident commander and Operations staff. b. Initial response is provided by Airport law enforcement officers to stabilize and protect the scene. Immediate assistance may be requested by the incident commander from the Fresno Police Department (FPD), Fresno County Sheriff s Office, Clovis Police Department, and the CANG Security Force. 4. Rescue and firefighting. a. Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) is the primary first responder to all on-site aircraft incidents or accidents. As such, ARFF will: (1) Immediately proceed with airport rescue and firefighting equipment to the pre-determined standby positions (if the aircraft is in flight) or to the aircraft s location (if the aircraft is on the ground), in accordance with information available at the time (visibility conditions, response route conditions, runway in use, etc.). Page 2 of 9
(2) As necessary, aircraft rescue and firefighting actions shall be initiated. Should there be indications that an accident may result in bodily injuries, or fire of a magnitude beyond the normal capabilities of the Airport, a request for additional Department units will be immediately initiated. The incident commander shall be responsible for making this determination and for initiating the request. (3) As warranted, the incident commander may initiate notification and/or recall procedures of Airport and other outside agency personnel as may be required to ensure public safety during the emergency situation. (4) Assume ARFF vehicle standby positions as necessary, until the aircraft is removed from movement areas or until the emergency condition is terminated. (5) Mobilize airfield maintenance and/or building maintenance personnel for assistance. Equipment Inventory: Transporting/Housing 1. Vehicles to transport victims of incident. a. Injured/deceased victim transport will be accomplished through the EMS Branch of the incident command system. b. Uninjured victim transport will be provided through the use of two 20 passenger handicap capable vehicles operated by airport operations personnel. 2. Hangars/buildings to accommodate victims of incident. a. Hangars available for triage, medical, or morgue operations include the P3 hangar operated by SkyWest Airlines, the maintenance facility owned and operated by Corporate Aircraft, Inc., and the two maintenance hangars operated by Mercury Aviation. b. Uninjured victims may be transported to any of these facilities, the terminal, or relief staging area as designated by the incident commander. Page 3 of 9
Communications Command 1. Emergency alarm system and procedures. a. A direct telephone hotline (crash phone) connects the Airport traffic control tower (ATCT) to a number of organizations involved in the notification of and response to airport emergencies. The locations include the Airport fire station, Air National Guard Command Post, and Air National Guard Crash- Fire-Rescue Station. b. Whenever ATCT personnel activate the crash phone, not only will it sound an alarm in various areas of the Airport fire station and establish two-way voice communications on the telephone hotline, it will also broadcast the message on the Airport UHF hand-held and base station transceivers, and override any transmissions that may be taking place. c. The alarm system is tested at least once a day. 2. Fire response communications. a. Initial communications for first responders will be through common vehicle radios on the public safety designated channel. b. Each vehicle is equipped with a ground control radio. Vehicle operators are trained in proper procedures to use the radio, and shall normally monitor the radio at all times unless performing firefighting operations. The person directing the scene of the operation shall ensure the ground control radio is monitored. c. Communications between the incident commander and nonairport units responding to the incident will be through designated or assigned channel. 1. Command responsibility. a. The Airport public safety (APS) division shall implement the Incident Command System for all incidents for which it has management responsibility. All incidents involving aircraft on airport property shall be designated as the ARFF Incident with an APS officer assuming command until relieved by a battalion chief. Page 4 of 9
b. For Alerts I and II the ARFF incident commander will share command (unified) of the incident with the aircraft pilot until such time as the pilot terminates the alert and the ARFF incident commander verifies the incident to be stabilized and safe. c. For Alert III, the ARFF incident commander will share command with the aircraft pilot only if the pilot still has control of the aircraft and passengers; otherwise, the ARFF incident commander will have command. 2. Transfer of command. a. The APS Division and the Department shall retain command of an incident until all emergency operations have been concluded, and the incident commander has declared the incident safe. The Fresno Yosemite International Airport Director of Aviation or designated representative may assume command of the incident at that time. AIRCRAFT ALERTS 1. Alert I Minor aircraft emergency. a. An aircraft known or suspected to have an operational defect. This defect should not normally cause serious difficulty in achieving a safe landing. ARFF shall standby at the Airport fire station with required vehicles ready to respond. The ARFF incident commander may alter the standby locations as circumstances dictate. 2. Alert II Major aircraft emergency. a. An aircraft known or suspected to have an operational defect affecting normal flight operations to the extent there is danger of an accident. ARFF units shall respond to appropriate runway posting positions with required vehicles. Additional ARFF vehicles may be staffed, as the ARFF incident commander deems necessary. The ARFF incident commander may alter posting positions as circumstances dictate. If, in the ARFF incident commander s opinion, there is a high probability of a crash landing, and the potential life or fire hazard exceeds the initial ARFF response, the ARFF incident commander shall request additional suppression units and/or EMS units. Page 5 of 9
3. Alert III Aircraft accident has occurred. Responsibilities a. ARFF units shall respond to the accident site with required vehicles. Operators responding in aircraft firefighting vehicles shall begin operations upon arrival. Operators responding in aircraft firefighting vehicles shall remain in the vehicles at all times unless directed otherwise by the incident commander or Supervisor. The ARFF incident commander may respond on an ARFF unit as necessary. Upon notification of an aircraft accident on the airport, personnel shall perform the following actions depending on the severity of the accident and needs: 1. Respond to scene with personnel and equipment. 2. Identify an incident commander and establish an Incident Command Post and assign appropriate personnel to incident command staff. 3. Perform incident command duties at scene. 4. Keep EOC informed of scene status, as appropriate. 5. Manage fire/rescue/medical resources, direct fire operations, conduct necessary rescue operations, and determine the need to evacuate the area. 6. Manage emergency medical operations to include the triage, treatment, and transport of injured passengers, bystanders, and response personnel. 7. Establish a safe refuge area for the non-injured passengers during the initial stages of an aircraft accident. 8. Alert emergency response personnel to the presence of hazards at the scene (e.g., fire, hazardous materials, etc.). Functions and Duties The following functions and duties must be considered for any large-scale aircraft accident: 1. Incident commander Overall functional responsibility for the incident. Page 6 of 9
2. ARFF Operations Section Chief Oversees firefighting and rescue operations for the incident. 3. Medical branch director Responsible for determining the emergency medical resources required to ensure a smooth overall operation. Medical operations will include: a. Triage Medical personnel will initiate tagging procedures to follow the START system of triage. The triage area shall be managed by the triage officer. The triage officer s responsibilities include: (1) Establish treatment areas to receive and treat patients. (2) Ensure arriving patients are triaged correctly. (3) Coordinate with the transport officer to select patients for transport based on their priority and availability of transport. b. Treatment Advanced life support stabilization by paramedics or intermediate EMTs shall be done in the immediate red area. Treatment in the other areas (e.g., yellow or green bus) may be done by other Fire Department members. c. Transportation The transportation officer shall oversee patient transportation. Duties include: (1) Determining transportation requirements and availability of transport vehicles. (2) Designating and securing of loading areas for ground and air transport vehicles. (3) Directing distribution of patients to hospitals and accountability of patients. (4) Establishing and maintaining patient records, priority, and medical facility status. (5) Providing area hospitals with brief patient reports, eliminating all individual units contact with hospitals for patient reports. (6) Notifying the incident commander when all patients have been transported. Page 7 of 9
VEHICLE CLEARANCES Each vehicle operator is responsible for obtaining clearances into aircraft movement areas at all times. However, during an aircraft alert when vehicles are responding as a group, the lead vehicle shall obtain clearance for the entire group of vehicles. The trailing vehicle will advise the ground controller when all the vehicles have cleared the movement area and/or an active runway. RUNWAY AND TAXIWAY CLOSURES Certified ARFF members may request the Fresno air traffic control tower declare a runway or taxiway unusable when a hazard exists that might pose significant danger to an aircraft. The ARFF member shall advise the ground controller and coordinate with the Operations representative as to the specific reason for the request. Such hazards may include, but are not limited to, aircraft wreckage, fire, fuel spills, or debris. ARFF members shall not consider the runway or taxiway unusable until confirmation by Fresno Ground Control. The Operations representative will investigate the situation and close appropriate areas of the movement area. Operations will then have the responsibility for any movement area closures or openings. SECURITY OF THE SCENE Law enforcement personnel shall be called to establish a security perimeter early in the incident. ARFF members should not be allowed access to the accident site unless cleared by the incident commander. The ARFF incident commander shall coordinate with Airport Operations for security considerations. AIRLINE PARTICIPATION The ARFF incident commander shall ensure a representative from the airline involved is present at the command post. The airline representative shall be responsible for providing a passenger list or number of passengers aboard, assisting with awaiting family and friends, and for arranging shelter and other necessities for the survivors. VEHICLE STAGING AREAS To facilitate the quickest possible response from non-airport units and to assist those units to arrive at the airport in areas, which will expeditiously provide access to the airport, pre-determined staging areas for units responding to the airport include: Page 8 of 9
1. Emergency Vehicle Staging Area 1 (South Side) - Located at perimeter Gate 6, the intersection of Anderson and Ashley Way. 2. Emergency Vehicle Staging Area 2 (South Side) Located at perimeter Gate 13, the intersection of Shields and Winery Avenues. 3. Emergency Vehicle Staging Area 3 (North Side) - Located at perimeter Gate 25 on AirCorp Way. 4. Emergency Vehicle Staging Area 4 (North Side) Located at perimeter Gate 17C on the air cargo ramp. Access to Emergency Scene: Fire/EMS Units Fire and medical resource units shall not proceed into the Air Operations Area without an escort, except: 1. Fire or medical personnel with a current airport identification badge, who have been properly trained in air traffic control communications and Airport procedures, may enter the Air Operations Area if their vehicle has Air Traffic Control radio communications capability and they have beacon lights operating. 2. The ARFF incident commander shall consult with the Airport Airside Superintendent or Operations Manager and mutually agree on a security corridor extending from a perimeter gate to the incident scene s entry/exit control access point or staging area. Responding units will be directed to respond to this gate and will be given directions to the scene or staging area by an APS officer or Airport employee at the gate. Fire and medical units are to follow the directions given explicitly and shall not deviate. Injured/Uninjured Accident Victims 1. Marshaling. The incident commander will designate a marshaling area for ambulance and transport vehicles. 2. Aircraft Accident Survivors. The temporary passenger collection point for aircraft accident survivors is the Airport fire station. This will only be utilized until the involved airline makes other arrangements to transport the survivors. The ARFF incident commander shall assign a representative to the temporary passenger collection point. The American Red Cross shall be requested for assistance in patient diffusing and other necessities. Page 9 of 9