Thomas J Whalen, Esq.

FAMILY ASSISTANCE ITEMS THAT YOUR AIRLINE’S

FAMILY ASSISTANCE ITEMS THAT YOUR AIRLINE’S EMERGENCY RESPONSE TRAINING SHOULD COVER

 1. The specific duties and responsibilities of the Accident Communications Director and the Family Assistance Chief in implementing the airline’s Family Assistance Plan.

2. Responsibilities and procedures for providing information to the U.S. Department of State and the NTSB.

3. Responsibilities and procedures for collaborating with the NTSB Family Assistance Director and Red Cross personnel at the accident site.

4. Protocols for setting up and publicizing toll-free telephone numbers, answering inquiries as to the event, gathering information about family members, providing family notification, handling of personal effects and disposition of identified remains, and coordinating communications internally and with other parties.

5. Hands-on rehearsal of the various family assistance requirements and team functions under simulated real-life conditions.

THINGS TO DO NOW RELATING TO FAMILY ASSISTANCE TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT

 1.            Establish a telephone number that is staffed 24-hours a day where the NTSB can contact your airline in the event of an accident.

2.            Designate the airline officials who will act as:

(a)            Airline Communications Director

(b)            Airline Family Assistance Chief and staff

(c)            Airline Information Officer

(d)            Airline Team Coordinator

3.            Set up protocols:

(a)            To notify all Team Members of the accident and send them to the scene;

(b)            For activating and publicizing the toll-free telephone numbers in your home country and in the U.S. that have been previously set up;

(c)            For handling telephone calls from families and notifying them;

(d)            For networking information about families and notifications;

(e)            For arranging travel for families, accommodations, meals at the accident scene;

(f)            For requesting dental records or other information about the passenger.

4.            Decide what family assistance services the airline will perform and what services it will contract out:

(a)            Notification of passengers.

(b)            Travel and hotel arrangements for families.

(c)            Identification and return of personal effects and possessions.

(d)            Transportation of remains.

(e)            Erection of Monument

ITEMS THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN YOUR AIRLINE’S FAMILY ASSISTANCE PLAN

Your airline’s plan regarding family assistance must be filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the NTSB.  You should include the following information –

1. A general description of what your company is doing now to prepare for a possible accident involving one of your aircraft in the United States.

2. The specific job titles of the airline officials who will be responsible for coordinating communications with the NTSB, who will be responsible for the passenger manifest, who will be in charge of the accident site, who will be responsible for family notification, and who will be in charge of family assistance at the accident site.

3. The procedure for establishing a toll-free number (in the United States and at your company Headquarters) which families can call, and a method of publicizing the number.

4. A procedure for creating a passenger manifest and for its distribution to the U.S. Department of State within 3 hours of the accident and to the NTSB and Red Cross, as requested, marked as “preliminary and unconfirmed”.

5. A procedure for notifying families of passengers involved in an accident, as soon as it has been verified that the passenger was on the flight.

6. A procedure for recording notifications given to family members based upon the best information available and for communicating this information to the Family Assistance Director.

7. Agreement to providing travel assistance to families wanting to come to the accident scene, and physical care of the family members who come to the scene.

8. A procedure for consulting with families about disposition of remains and personal affects.

9. A procedure for returning possessions of the passenger (baggage and personal effects) to the families, if requested.

10. An arrangement for storing unclaimed passengers’ possessions for 18 months

11. A procedure for consulting with families about an erection of monument to the passengers in the United States.

INFORMATION YOU SHOULD PROVIDE TO YOUR INSURANCE CARRIER AND OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

In the event of an accident, you should immediately notify your insurance broker by telephone and/or e-mail, advising that an accident has occurred.  Your airline should then give the notice in writing (providing the information as it becomes available) to the person designated in your insurance policy(ies), and maintain contact with your insurance broker.  The information which should be provided to the broker/insurer should include the following:

1.            Date and time of the accident.

2.            The place of the accident.

3.            The owner of the aircraft and the registration of the aircraft.

4.            The operator of the aircraft (whose pilot was flying the aircraft).

5.            The type of equipment involved in the accident.

6.            The point of departure and the point of intended destination.

7.            The number of passengers and crew believed to be aboard.

Also, check carefully –

1.            The persons to whom loss of notice must be given.

2.            The manner in which notice must be given (always provide notice in writing).

3.            Any requirements for written reports of accident details.

4.            To provide prompt notice of all claims made, including copies of all documentation received.

5.            That airline personnel do not make any admissions of liability or offer or promise of payment without your insurer’s prior written consent.

6.            That in reporting about the accident to other parties, you report only verifiable facts and not opinions or conclusions.

7.            That you obtain your carrier’s agreement if you plan on making pre-payments to families of accident victims.

8.            That you obtain your carrier’s agreement if you sign the IATA Intercarrier Agreement waiving limits of liability under the Warsaw Convention.

60 Point Emergency Reference Checklist For Major Airline Accidents

List 1:  Notice You Must Provide To The NTSB Relating to Family Assistance

List 2:   Notice You Must Provide To The NTSB Pertaining To Accident Investigation 

List 3:  Information You Should Provide To Your Insurance Carrier And Other Important Information Considerations

List 4:  Items That Should Be Included In Your Airline’s Family Assistance Plan

List 5:  Things To Do Now Relating to Family Assistance To Be Able To Respond Appropriately In The Event Of An Accident

List 6:  Family Assistance Items That Your Airline’s Emergency Response Training Should Cover

List 7:

List 8:

List 9:

List 10:

List 11:

List 12:

List 13:

List 14:

List 15:

List 16:

List 17:

NOTICE YOU MUST PROVIDE TO THE NTSB PERTAINING TO ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

A report must be given to the NTSB field office nearest to the site of the accident providing the following information, if available:

1. Type, nationality and registration marks of the aircraft.

2. The name of the owner and the operator of the aircraft.

3. The name of the captain or pilot in command.

4. Date and time of the accident.

5. Last departure point of the aircraft and intended landing point.

6. Position of the aircraft with reference to some easily defined geographical point.

7. Number of persons aboard, number killed and number injured.

8. Nature of accident, the weather and damage to the aircraft.

9. A description of any explosives, radioactive materials or other dangerous articles aboard.

NOTICE YOU MUST PROVIDE TO THE NTSB RELATING TO FAMILY ASSISTANCE

1. Place of the accident, number of passengers and crew, and number of injured and fatalities (if known).

2. Point of origination and final destination of the flight, any connections, and whether the flight was domestic or international.

3. The name and telephone number of the airline official who is in overall charge at the accident site.  (Your Airline Team Coordinator, as I have called him).

4. The name, telephone number and location of hotel to be used for the joint family support operations center.

5. The name and telephone number of the person in charge of providing the passenger manifest.  (Airline Communications Director at Headquarters).

6. The name and telephone number of the person responsible for family notification.  (Also, your Airline Communications Director at Headquarters).

Click here to open pdf: 60 Point Emergency Reference Checklist for Marjor Airline Accidents