Aircraft emergency response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Aircraft emergency response - Essay Example The planning processes should be interlinked to ensure that the company is able to take appropriate initial actions, and then continue managing the emergency crisis for an unspecified duration. Ultimately, the aim of comprehensive emergency response and crisis management planning is to minimize pain and suffering of all associated in the event of an accident in the airport premises or its immediate vicinity and to save human lives All airports authorities should have aircraft rescue and fire-fighting services and equipment, for procedures for handling aircraft fire emergencies, and for specialized vehicles used to perform these functions at airports, with particular emphasis on saving lives and reducing injuries coincident with aircraft fires following impact or aircraft ground fires. Everything that can be done to protect the health and life of the individual must have priority over maintaining aircraft equipment and facilities, however valuable these may be. Human life comes first; efforts to salvage aircraft, buildings or technical equipment are secondary. "If you are looking for perfect safety, you will do well to sit on a fence and watch the birds; but if you really wish to learn, you must mount a machine and become acquainted with its tricks by actual trial." Emergency response is a product of preparedness. ... Especially the first responders: fire, police, emergency medical service, and building safety professionals. Major accidents are being studied by many emergency response agencies to achieve workable response procedures using a specific set of guidelines applicable to each type of occurrence. As in nearly all countries, the guidelines and recommendations set out in Annex 14 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) applies to fire fighting and rescue services. Planning for the crisis is the key to minimizing the harmful effects of aircraft accident. Every airport is categorized for rescue and fire safety purposes in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines, depending on the maximum total length and fuselage width of the aircraft normally used at the airport. Some of the regulatory requirements for international airport authorities and covered by the existing regulations include (Shantakumar 29): 1. The minimum number of vehicles and quantities of extinguishing agents, emergency equipment and the qualifications and training of personnel that must be made available by the airport operator; Aircraft emergency response 4 2. A three-minute response time for first-response vehicle(s) responding to an emergency at applicable airports; 3. A minimum of 90 per cent coverage of commercial aircraft conducting regular flights, and in addition, coverage of 100 per cent of all 20-passenger aircraft. 4. The presence of qualified personnel, trained who are able to deliver aircraft rescue and firefighting service at the airport during operating hours; 5. The annual testing of emergency services conducted, monitored and enforced to evaluate response times and confirm that the emergency services being