Managing a Flight Diversion with an Emergency Response at Small, Non-Hub, or General Aviation Airports (2023)

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11   To identify and understand who is involved with managing flight diversions associated with incidents and emergencies at smaller airports, stakeholders have been divided into the following two broad categories: • Internal Airport Stakeholders: People, departments, or divisions employed by an airport organization. • External Airport Stakeholders: People, departments, divisions, organizations, or agencies outside of an airport’s authority, either on or off the airport. These are divided into the following two main categories: – Mutual Aid: These are first-response entities (e.g., fire, medical, or law enforcement) that are usually contracted with an airport through interlocal or joint-use agreements or are managed through another department under municipal control. Sometimes these arrange- ments are called mutual aid agreements. A mutual aid agreement is defined as: “a written agreement between agencies, organizations, or jurisdictions to lend assistance across jurisdic- tional boundaries. It agrees to assist by furnishing personnel, equipment, and expertise in a specified manner at requisite time” (USLegal.com 2022). Responsibilities related to these agreements are usually outlined in an AEP. – Network Partners: These are on- and off-airport partners (e.g., airlines, airport tenants, regulatory agencies, or community resources) that can provide services and resources for aircraft movement and maintenance, passenger and cargo screening and clearance, cus- tomer service, and passenger care, among other things. Network partners are contracted with an airport either through verbal or written agreements to define the personnel, equip- ment, or expertise that will be offered during normal operations as well as during irregular-, incident-, or emergency-related situations. Responsibilities related to these agreements are typically outlined in an airport’s SOPs or IROPS plan. Internal Airport Stakeholders To create one internal airport stakeholder list common to smaller airports, the “Expanded List of Stakeholders” from ACRP Report 153 was first examined and compared against industry knowledge, working with airports to edit the list to align with the typical roles, depart- ments, and divisions present at small, non-hub, and general aviation airports (Cogliandro, B., et al. 2016). Beyond this, airport stakeholders at smaller airports are inconsistent both within their NPIAS designation (e.g., among the 21 surveyed out of 69 small hub airports) or across them (e.g., among the 24 surveyed out of 335 non-hub versus 16 out of 3,242 general aviation airports, and seven out of 611 reliever and five out of 451 nonprimary commercial service airports). C H A P T E R 2 Defining the Stakeholders

12 Managing a Flight Diversion with an Emergency Response at Small, Non-Hub, or General Aviation Airports In addition, no two airports are alike in terms of governance and management structures, contractual service arrangements, and operating characteristics. For instance, according to ACRP Report 116, airports can be owned and operated by the following jurisdictions: airport authorities, counties, municipalities, joint county–city commissions, park districts, port author- ities, bi-state authorities, and private owners (Price, M. 2014). Airports can also share sta and resources with their governing body (e.g., maintenance sta or equipment). erefore, the list of internal stakeholders and mutual aid and network partners dier for each airport. However, there are general key roles and responsibilities that are common to these smaller airports despite dierences in the semantics of naming positions or departments. erefore, this list was created with exceptions noted and examined below. Typical Internal Airport Stakeholders at Smaller Airports (e.g., SH, NH, GA, CS, R) • Airport Director and General Manager • Operations Manager • Public Safety and Emergency Manager and Duty Manager • Maintenance Manager • Public Aairs and Public Information Ocer • ARFF* • Law Enforcement* • Medical* *See note below about rst responders for a discussion on various authority structures. Typical Airport Stakeholder Roles during Diversions Most smaller airports indicate that their airport director or operations manager takes the lead in managing diversion events and securing mutual aid assistance as needed. However, some- times smaller airports designate this authority to other personnel like public safety managers, emergency managers, or duty managers at airports with larger stang capabilities. Even though the names of the roles dier for smaller airports, leaders in these roles all take on similar respon- sibilities during diversion events as described in Figure 1. Other major roles and responsibilities during diversions at smaller airports include: • Maintenance Manager–Manages the airport terminal or facility, maintaining passenger and customer care (family assistance areas, restrooms, trash collection, etc.). Lead Airport Stakeholder Role Diversion Responsibilities • Airport Director/General Manager • Operations Manager • Public Safety Manager • Emergency Manager • Duty Manager • Tracks potential diversions and local weather conditions. • Communicates with the Air Traffic Control (ATC) and/or airlines about diverted aircraft. • Notifies internal personnel of incoming diversion(s) and contacts external stakeholders (e.g., mutual aid and network partners) as needed. • Records information related to diversion aircraft. • Continues to communicate with airport personnel, mutual aid, and network partners to manage and mitigate the effects of the diverted aircraft. • Manages or assists with resource coordination to ensure aircraft (gate, parking, deplaning, etc.), passenger and crew (passenger care, information, screening, clearance, etc.), and emergency (fire, medical, etc.) needs are met. Figure 1. Typical lead airport stakeholder responsibilities for diversions.

Defining the Stakeholders 13   External Airport Stakeholders To create an external stakeholder partner list common to smaller airports, lists of stakeholders were taken from ACRP guidance on IROPS planning (Cogliandro, B., et al. 2016) as well as those from emergency planning (FAA 2009) as these provided lists of stakeholders associated with irregular operations like flight diversions with incidents and with flight diversions with emergencies (Table 1). Roles of Mutual Aid and Network Partners During Diversions Mutual Aid and First-Response Partners • ARFF: On-airport first responders that provide safety and emergency medical duties as well as combat and extinguish fires associated with diverted aircraft. • Fire Department: Off-airport community first responders that provide the same duties as ARFF. • EMS: Provides paramedic services for diverted aircraft passengers and crew. • Law Enforcement: On- or off-airport resource that provides control and response efforts related to a diversion. Sometimes this is referred to as a Law Enforcement Officer (LEO). • Local Emergency Management (EM) Agency and Office: A local office that coordinates first responders during an emergency-related diversion. • Local Healthcare and Hospitals: Partners that provide medical needs for passengers and crew from a diverted flight. • Local Public Health Department: A partner that can detain, medically examine, and release persons arriving on a diverted domestic flight who are suspected of carrying communicable diseases. A Note About First Responders: The authority over first responders is inconsistent at smaller airports, as determined by interviewing and surveying smaller airports for this synthesis. Sometimes ARFF, law, and medical responders are considered under the airport’s authority either using in-house staff or third-party contracted staff. In other cases, first responders are considered mutual aid and are contracted through interlocal or joint-use agreements or are managed through another department under municipal control. Generally, about half of smaller airports (e.g., SH, NH, GA, CS, R) have authority over ARFF, while about less than half say they have authority over law and medical services. A deeper look at the differ- ences can be found in the survey chapter. Therefore, because these roles are split somewhat evenly across smaller airports, they can be considered either an internal or external stakeholder. This disparity impacts smaller airports in their management of diverted flights and is highlighted throughout the synthesis. • Public Affairs and Public Information Officer–Coordinates communication and information related to the diversion event either directly with media and passengers or cooperatively in con- junction with other mutual aid organization Public Information Officers (e.g., city or county emergency management agencies). In addition, many of the roles mentioned earlier may be combined at smaller airports, and many small airports cross-train their employees to fill one or more roles, including first responders.

14 Managing a Flight Diversion with an Emergency Response at Small, Non-Hub, or General Aviation Airports On-Airport Partners • Diverted Aircraft Airline: Works with air traffic control (ATC) to notify and coordinate diverted flight information with the diversion airport. Communicates incident- or emergency- related diverted aircraft or passenger needs with a diversion airport and/or first responders when necessary. Provides customer service to passengers as needed (e.g., rebooking). Pro- vides families with “an appropriate level of services and assistance” as mandated in emergency- related diversion situations that involve a fatality (49 U.S. Code § 41113). Sometimes shares resources and equipment (e.g., airstairs for deplaning) through agreements with the diversion airport. • FBOs/Fuelers/Deicers/Ground Handlers: Assist with the diverted aircraft’s movement, posi- tioning, preparation, fueling, and deicing as well as customer service and ramp service according to any agreements with the airport or airline. • Hangar/Aircraft Owners: Assist with temporary parking needs and share equipment or staffing to assist diverted aircraft according to any agreements with the airport. • Concessionaires: Include restaurants, stores, and snack stands. Accesses extra supplies of food, water, and special provisions (e.g., diapers) and provides after-hour staffing if needed according to any agreements with the airport. • Other Airport Tenants: Provide extra staffing or equipment or supplies according to any agreements with the airport. • Ground Transportation: Includes rental cars, taxis, shuttle buses, local mass transit, and ride- share companies. Can provide increased services according to agreements with the airport. • Airport or Other Volunteer Group: Provides staffing to assist the diversion airport with customer care. Community Resources (Passenger Care) • Ground Transportation: Provides vehicles or buses to transport passengers to local hotels or other destinations according to any agreements with the airport. These can come from busing companies or from local school districts. • City/County Management *See note (on previous page) about first responders for a discussion on various authorities. First-Response Partners • Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF)* • Law Enforcement* • Emergency Medical Services (EMS)* • Fire Department • Local Emergency Management (EM) Agency/Office • Local Healthcare/Hospitals • Local Public Health Department (domestic flights) *Sometimes under airport authority On-Airport Partners • Airlines • Fixed-base Operators (FBOs) • Fuelers • Deicers • Ground Handlers • Hangar/Aircraft Owners • Concessionaires • Other Airport Tenants • Ground Transportation Companies (rental cars, shuttle buses, rideshare) • Airport or Other Volunteer Group Military • ANG, U.S. Air Force (USAF), or other military joint use on airport Agencies • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) • Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (international flights) • Transportation Security Administration (TSA) • National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) • U.S. Marshals • Air Marshals Community Resources • Ground Transportation (buses) • Local Stores • Local Restaurants • Local Hotels • Convention and Visitors Bureau Mutual Aid Network Partners Table 1. Typical mutual aid and network partners at smaller airports.

Defining the Stakeholders 15   • Local Stores: Provide supplies like food, water, prescriptions, and family needs (e.g., baby formula) according to any agreements with the airport. • Local Restaurants: Provide food and water according to any agreements with the airport. • Local Hotels: Provide special lodging arrangements or rates according to any agreements with the airport. • Convention and Visitors Bureau: Provides information related to available lodging in an area. • City and County Management: Provides resources as specified according to agreements with the airport. Agencies These agencies provide mandated services to airports, but airports can make additional agree- ments with these agencies depending upon unique needs, especially those related to diversion aircraft. Considerations for additional agreements are discussed in more detail in Chapter 4 Literature Review. • FAA: Air traffic controllers work with airlines and pilots as they make diversion-related decisions. • FBI: Provides federal law enforcement and intelligence to support airports with diversions that involve unruly passengers or other security concerns. • CBP: Provides traveler processing procedures for diverted flights and procedures for deplaning passengers to secure areas at diversion airports. • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Can detain, medically examine, and release persons arriving on a diverted international flight who are suspected of carrying communicable diseases. • TSA: Provides traveler screening services for those who deplane from a diverted flight and leave an airport’s secure area, requiring re-screening. • U.S. Marshals and Air Marshals: These law enforcement officers are authorized to protect aircraft by deterring and countering unlawful activity (e.g., unruly passengers), sometimes involving diverting aircraft. • National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB): Investigates every civilian aviation accident in the United States. The NTSB determines the probable cause of the accidents and issues safety recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents. Military The military often shares space on joint-use airports, and airports can make additional agree- ments with military units depending upon unique needs, especially related to diversion aircraft. Considerations for additional agreements are discussed in more detail in Chapter 4. • ANG, USAF, or other military joint use on airports: Military forces on joint-use airports provide firefighting and medical staff, resources, and equipment to assist airports to manage diverted aircraft.