Assisting In A Disaster

During a major public emergency such as a serious earthquake or hurricane, emergency facilities will be strained and probably overloaded. Well-coordinated general aviation volunteer pilots, operators and support personnel can significantly contribute to emergency relief efforts. This can supplement and complement existing resources by using the extensive fleet of airplanes and helicopters and the highly trained pilots and other personnel involved in general aviation. Thus, every airport can serve as a new major resource, providing disaster relief capabilities for the families and communities surrounding it.

Often able to operate when other transportation facilities are disabled or destroyed, general aviation volunteers can transport injured victims, medical personnel and vital supplies, supplementing the medevac and airlift capabilities of the public agencies and the National Guard. General aviation aircraft can be especially useful for bringing regular and supplemental emergency service workers into a stricken community, which may be isolated because of disrupted ground transportation infrastructure. Another important role concerns the evacuation of non-critical injury cases and patients with chronic medical conditions that would add to the workload of already overburdened medical and rescue personnel.

Likewise, smaller aircraft can transport the specific supplies and equipment needed directly to the affected communities, reducing the need for ground transportation and on-site distribution during the frantic circumstances of an actual emergency situation. General aviation helicopters can rescue stranded personnel from buildings, parks and other tight spaces and bring in emergency personnel and supplies. General aviation airplanes can link up with the helicopters, handling intermediate and medium range tasks using local airports and disabled stretches of freeways, roads and fields.

The general aviation community could also supply many additional supplementary services. Small aircraft can be invaluable for surveying damaged areas and spotting isolated victims. Their sophisticated multichannel radio equipment can provide a complete, parallel communications network independent of telephones and existing emergency services. Local, state and federal personnel will be freed up to perform vital administrative and interagency surveying, reopen airfields, assist FAA personnel in reestablishing air traffic control facilities and services and assist activities and loading and unloading of aircraft.

Most of the emergency plans associated with airports have to do with the treatment of injured at the airport and the continuation of airport operations based on the Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 150/5200-31. How the continued operation of the airport relates to aiding the community during a disaster is left to local preparedness plans to define. The role of airports is often included in statewide plans, but overlooked in local plans.

Many airports take it upon themselves to coordinate a disaster preparedness program. In 1991, the Fullerton City Council in California approved a ‘Volunteer Pilot Service Program’ submitted by Fullerton Municipal Airport, which would allow pilots to volunteer their time and aircraft to assist fire and rescue personnel in observing local disasters. The city council also agreed to add pilots wishing to join the program to their Workers’ Compensation coverage while they are engaged in pre-approved activities solely on the city’s behalf.

Airports or aviation businesses with an interest in assisting in a community disaster and disaster planning can offer support to local and regional planning agencies. Some airports have taken an active role in disaster planning. For example, this could include helping develop the plans necessary to make a fleet of general aviation airplanes, helicopters and jets available to assist a city in the event of a disaster that would require air transportation assistance. Airports and airport tenant associations have also sponsored events on disaster preparedness for local communities as well as events to assist airport tenants learn how to cope in a disaster.

Copyrighted CommuniQuest 2002