Advisory Circular AC No. 00-59 November 13,199s Integrating Helicopter and Tiltrotor Assets Into Disaster Relief Planning Initiated by AND-710
AC 00-59 1 l/13/98
1. PURPOSE. This Advisory Circular (AC) provides general guidance on integrating helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft into disaster relief planning efforts. This document is advisory in nature and is intended to provide a planning tool to assist State and local emergency planners. It is fully recognized that every State and municipality has distinctive and unique requirements that may warrant modifications to the advice presented herein.
similar to a helicopter and can fly similar to a turboprop airplane.
2. BACKGROUND. During the last four decades, helicopters have proven their value to communities when disasters strike. And yet, all too often, people simply assume that these aircraft will arrive when needed. However, without careful planning, helicopters and tiltrotors may not appear, or if they do, they may not be used to their best advantage. This AC identifies issues that need to be addressed, provides general guidance on how they may be addressed, and lists various contacts and references that may be helpful during the planning and execution of disaster relief plans.
4. OPERATIONAL QUESTIONS.
This AC encourages States and municipalities to plan for the use of helicopters and tiltrotors in support of disaster relief operations. As this planning progresses, the effort is likely to generate numerous questions dealing with aircraft operational issues. The Flight Standards Service is the primary FAA office responsible for promoting aviation safety and ensuring compliance with the operations and maintenance safety standards for aircraft operations.
Flight Standards District Offices (FSDO’s) throughout the country work closely with aviation authorities and with other federal, state, and local officials in the establishment of a variety of aircraft operations, including vertical flight aircraft involved in Emergency Medical Services, Search and Rescue, and Disaster Relief. Questions on aircraft operational matters should be referred to the FSDO’s. FSDO addresses and phone numbers are given in Section 1 of Appendix A of this AC.
3. TERMINOLOGY. As used in this document, the term “vertical flight aircraft” applies to both helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft. The “tiltrotor” aircraft is one type of aircraft that are called “powered-lift vehicles”. Tiltrotor aircraft can takeoff, land, and hover Shelly L. Myers L.-J c) Director, Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance Systems
- AC 00-59 1 l/13/98
CONTENTS CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION Paragranh Page
1. Background1
2. The Need for Planning2
3. The Use of Helicopters and Tiltrotors in Disaster Relief2
4. Advisory Circular Goals4
5. Assumptions5
6. Potential Helicopter and Tiltrotor Missions Supporting Disaster Relief Efforts . . 7
7. Operational Priorities10
8- 19. Reserved11
CHAPTER 2. PLAN PREPARATION
20. Planning Assumptions13
21. Basics13
22. Alert Levels14
23. Special Response Procedures16
24. Planning Versus Integration16
25-29. Reserved16
CHAPTER 3. RESOURCE INVENTORY
30. Introduction19
3 1. Identify and Survey Helicopter and Tiltrotor Operators19
32. Resource Survey19
3 3. Conducting the Survey20
34. Verifying and Updating25
3 5. Task Matching25
36. Sample Survey Form25
37-39. Reserved25
CHAPTER 4. COMMUNICATIONS
40. Communications Network27
41. Terminology, Phraseology, and Acronyms27
42. Establish an Emergency Communications Net27
43. Establish Procedures and Protocols30
44. Medical Information32
45. Mission Assignment32
46. Air Traffic Control33
47. Predetermined Helicopter and Tiltrotor Call Signs34
. . . 111
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48. Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...*.. 34
49. Documentation35
CHAPTER 5. HELICOPTER AND TILTROTOR LANDING AREAS
50. Introduction37
5 1. Safety Perspective38
52. Selection Criteria38
53. Surveys and Inventory42
54. Survey of Existing Aviation Facilities42
55. Special Arrangements with Heliport Owners and Operators43
56. Development of Public-use Heliports and Vertiports43
57. Pre-designation of Emergency-Use-Only Landing Sites43
58. Documentation of Landing Sites43
59. Reserved44
CHAPTER 6. ACTIVATION, EXERCISES, AND ANALYSIS
60. Introduction45
6 1. Activation Checklist45
62. The Need for Training/Exercises46
63. The Value of Training/Exercises46
64. Realistic Exercise Scenarios46
65. Exercise Schedules and Objectives46
66. Three Types of Exercises47
67. Training Programs48
68. Post-Incident Analysis48
Appendix A. Resource Inventory Sources (22 pages)49
Section 1. FSDO’s and FSFO’s49
Section 2. FAA Regional Heliport Development Coordinators56
Section 3. Additional FAA Sources of Information57
Section 4. Federal Emergency Management Agency58
Section 5. State Emergency Management Directors60
Section 6. U.S. Coast Guard District Offices65
Section 7. Military Support66
Section 8. Professional and Industry Associations67
Section 9. Sources of Information69
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AC 00-59 1 l/13/98
- Appendix B. Outline of Elements for a Typical Helicopter Integration Plan
(3 pages) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..~71
Appendix C. Bibliography (4 pages)75
Appendix D. Acronyms (3 pages)79
FIGURE 2-l. Example - Vertical Flight Response Alert Levels15
FIGURE 2-2. Sample High-rise Fire Response Procedures17
FIGURE 3-1. Sample Helicopter and Tiltrotor Resource Survey Data Form21
FIGURE 4- 1. Example - Helicopter and Tiltrotor Communications System28
FIGURE 4-2. Sample Communications Matrix31
FIGURE 6-l. Plan Activation45
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AC 00-59 1 l/13/98 CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
1. BACKGROUND. On January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 crashed on takeoff from Washington National Airport. It struck the 14th Street Bridge, congested with rush hour traffic, and came down in the ice-covered Potomac River. This Boeing 737-222 had 74 passengers and 5 crew members on board. Only four passengers and one flight attendant survived. The following statements are from report DOT/FAA/RD-90/10, Rotorcraft Use in Disaster Relief and Mass Casualty Incidents - Case Studies:
At 1l:OO A.M. on Friday, January 13,1982, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a special weather statement that continued an earlier winter storm warning and predicted that snow would continue into the afternoon and, at times, become mixed with sleet and freezing rain.
At 2:00 P.M., because of the deteriorating weather conditions, Federal agencies announced early dismissal of their employees, releasing some 400,000 commuters into the streets. Area schools also began dismissal early.
At 3:00 P.M., . . . a partial gridlock had developed downtown . . . .
At 359 P.M., Air Florida Flight 90 lifted off in a northwesterly direction. It immediately lost altitude, struck six vehicles on the 14th Street Bridge, continued through the railing and crashed into the river, which was covered with five to eight inches of ice.
Weather conditions were poor and deteriorating, temperature was in the low 20’s (Fahrenheit), and visibility was less than onehalf mile.
At 4:ll P.M., the U.S. Park Police were notified of the accident and asked to send a helicopter to assist in rescuing the survivors, some of whom were reported to be in the water.
U.S. Park Police plowed the ramp with a personal 4-wheel drive vehicle and helped the flight crew push the helicopter out of the hanger. The policemen, on duty at U.S. Park Police Headquarters in Anacostia Park, quickly grabbed life preservers and rope, boarded their Bell Long Ranger, and flew “Eagle One” toward the 14th Street Bridge.
While en route, the crew of Eagle One was given three separate locations for the accident site. However, they headed for the bridge.
When Eagle One reached the immediate area, repeated attempts to reach the ground units by radio for instructions were unsuccessful. Personnel on the ground had not switched to the correct frequency until 4:22
AC 00-59 PM - two minutes too late to hear Eagle One. Early attempts with ropes and ladders to reach the survivors 50 to 100 feet offshore failed. Boats and divers were not yet on the scene.
“When you see an airline disaster you expect mayhem and slaughter,” said the pilot during a later interview. “Their biggest surprise was that there was only broken ice where apparently, the main fuselage had gone through, the tail section above the water with six people hanging on it, and a lot of debris, insulation, luggage, and clothes.” There would only be those six to rescue. The others were doomed the moment the water rushed into their ruptured (airliner) cabin.
The six had to be rescued quickly before the frigid water claimed them. One woman lost her grip and was about to drown when an onlooker plunged into the river and brought her close enough to the bank for a fireman to swim out and retrieve her.
Later, doctors would measure the woman’s body temperature at 81 degrees Fahrenheit; she was only a few minutes from death by cardiac arrest.
The rescue ended on a wrenching note: one of the six people clinging to the tail had repeatedly passed the lifeline to fellow passengers rather than save himself. When the 1 l/13/98 helicopter went back for him, he had slipped beneath the surface.
That even five people survived was due, in part, to the timely arrival of a helicopter. Despite a lack of proper onboard rescue equipment, they were able to ferry the survivors to shore. Their efforts provided dramatic proof of the helicopter’s effectiveness as a disaster relief tool. Ironically, the helicopter was not there as part of any planned disaster response, but rather by a fortunate combination of circumstances.
2. THE NEED FOR PLANNING.
Often, it seems as if helicopters just “appear” at disaster situations. The public is generally unaware of the extensive planning necessary for helicopters and tiltrotors to lend their unique assistance in the most effective manner. Historically, many public agencies charged with disaster response preparation have shared this lack of awareness. Still, as illustrated in many disasters during the last four decades, helicopters have proven their value in disaster relief operations.
3. USE OF HELICOPTERS AND
TILTROTORS IN DISASTER RELIEF. This AC is intended to aid emergency preparedness agencies with the planning and use of vertical flight aircraft in disaster relief. These guidelines are based on accepted planning concepts and “lessons learned” through the study of disaster case histories where helicopters were used.
Rotorcraft Use in Disaster Relief and Mass Casualty Incidents - Case Histories, report number DOT/FAA/RD-90/10, details 18 such incidents.
AC 00-59 1 l/13/98 ‘L-
a. Disaster Planning. Disaster planning is the responsibility of many public and governmental agencies at various levels. The vast majority of those agencies are proficient and effective in that effort, yet historically some have not been fully aware of the helicopter assets that might be available.
In an increasing number of cases, however, communities have identified their vertical flight resources. For example, the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex has successfully incorporated locally based helicopters into disaster preparedness planning. They regularly hold realistic exercises to test planning effectiveness and to resolve problems under controlled conditions.
planning should tie into state level planning.
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b. Planning for the Full Range of Possibilities. Disaster planning should address the full range of possible events from localized incidents to major catastrophic disasters requiring implementation of the Federal Response Plan (FRP). Ideally, the helicopter and tiltrotor portions of this planning will blend seamlessly with local and State disaster relief plans for events up to and including activation of the FRP.
d. The Use of Emewencv Medical Service (EMS) HelicoDters.
The concept, of using medical evacuation (medevac) or emergency medical service (EMS) helicopters to reduce mortality rates, has been well established since the Vietnam conflict.
Thousands of traumatic injury victims who reached medical treatment facilities within the first “golden hour” owe their lives to the helicopters and crews that delivered them rapidly to specialized medical facilities. In the USA, more than 250 hospitals have established EMS helicopter ambulance services and many others have a helipad located near their emergency room entrances. EMS helicopter operations have experienced spectacular growth since 1972. This continues to be one of the most dynamic sectors of the aviation industry today.
e. The Use of Other
c. State and RePional Disaster Airlift (SARDA) Planning. Disaster planning for the use of aircraft and resources, including helicopters and tiltrotors, is guided by FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 00-7, State and Regional Disaster Airlift (SARDA) Planning.
The FAA issued this advisory circular to encourage the use of aviation in supporting disaster relief activities.
Consult your state aviation or division of aeronautics office for further information and for how your local HelicoDters. As widespread as EMS helicopters have become, they are still limited in their ability to respond to large disasters. Fortunately, while there are a limited number of EMS helicopters in a given community, there are often a great number of private, government (state and local), and military helicopters available. Air medical service helicopters are configured for flying critically injured patients from hospital to hospital or from an accident scene to a trauma facility. Often in disaster situations, help is needed to perform a variety of support functions that are not best performed by an EMS helicopter. Non-commercial helicopter operators are often ready, willing, and able to provide assistance when needed.
AC 00-59
4. ADVISORY CIRCULAR GOALS.
Participants in emergency planning and response must understand the plan and their role in it. People are highly motivated to participate in direct lifesaving missions, but there are many other vital missions that may require the use of helicopters and tiltrotors in an emergency response. The goals of this AC are described below.
a. To Save Lives. Trauma specialists are well aware of the first “golden hour” after a trauma injury and its significance in the reduction of mortality rates. EMS helicopters routinely transport severely injured patients over long distances, inaccessible areas, heavy traffic, or disrupted ground transportation to appropriate treatment facilities. Equally important is their ability to transport medical personnel and equipment directly to the scene. In disasters, the number of injury cases requiring rapid transport and the number of support functions required highlight the benefits of vertical flight aircraft. Emergency response to remote sites may prove to be an agonizingly and dangerously slow process. Examples include missions through flooding, snow drifts, or rushhour traffic. The term “remote sites” can include high-rise rooftops in the middle of major metropolitan areas. In disaster situations, helicopters and tiltrotors can help save lives.
b. To Acauaint Communitv Leaders and Planners with Heliconter and Tiltrotor Disaster Relief Canabilities. Most people have little knowledge about helicopter and tiltrotor availability, operations, and capabilities.
The same can be said of familiarity with 4 1 l/13/98 the use of the general aviation fleet, including fixed-wing aircraft, as well as active and reserve military assets. It is essential to have a complete understanding of aircraft capabilities and availability in order to effectively incorporate them into existing plans. In this way, planners can broaden their range of options for response to emergency situations and provide superior services to the community.
c. To Provide Planners with Guidelines to Effectivelv Inteprate the Use of Heliconters and Tiltrotors into Local Disaster Prenaredness Planning. Many emergency planners do not possess a high level of expertise in vertical flight operations nor can it be assumed that they have ready access to information on the subject. For this reason in particular, the FAA has developed these guidelines. These guidelines are provided to encourage planners to consider helicopters and tiltrotors in their overall planning efforts and to ensure safe and effective use of these aircraft.
d. To Onen or Imnrove Lines of Communication Between Aircraft Onerators and the Communitv. Most helicopter operators are willing to help when needed, but they are often frustrated by a lack of communication with local disaster planning agencies.
This document is intended to facilitate such communications. In this manner, it will allow communities to benefit from increased cooperation between helicopter and tiltrotor operators (civil, government, and military), and disaster planning agencies.
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e. To Encourape the Establishment of Heliports and Vertiports in the Communitv.
Helicopters and tiltrotors can land at many places where an airplane can not because they do not need a runway for a landing site. However, if they are to help in disaster situations, they do need safe landing sites in close proximity to the disaster location. This is particularly true in urban environments. If landing facilities are to be available when disasters occur, the community must plan and develop heliports and vertiports in advance of the actual event.
etc. See also Appendix A for possible sources of information in your area.
b. References to planning documents can be found in the American Society for Testing and Materials, Standard Guide for Planning and Response to a Multiple Casualty Incident. Another useful document is the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s, Guide for All-Hazard Emergency Operations Planning.
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5. ASSUMPTIONS. Before these guidelines can be applied in a given disaster preparedness planning effort, certain assumptions must be made regarding the nature of the situation in which helicopters and tiltrotors can be used. Also, to avoid confusion or misunderstanding of these guidelines, baseline conditions and ground rules are established to provide an appropriate foundation.
c. Incident Command System JIGS). An Incident Command System (ICS), or similar organizational structure, is probably in place. This system usually includes the process for integrating aviation assets into the State disaster response plan. The provisions in this advisory circular are intended to incorporate helicopters and tiltrotors into existing plans or into new plans as they are being developed. THE
GUIDELINES OF THIS AC ARE NOT
INTENDED TO SERVE AS A “STAND ALONE” DISASTER REPAREDNESS DOCUMENT.
a. General Plan. Look for a general plan for local disaster relief in effect or under development. Federal and State regulations provide detailed emergency planning guidance under the umbrella of the current Federal Response Plan (FRP) and it’s supporting regional and local emergency plans are now required by law. The Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), Regional Planning Committee @PC), and regional Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offices can provide a variety of invaluable information including copies of existing plans, contact data, reference material,
d. Vertical Flight Aircraft Available. Obviously, an assumption must be made that helicopters or tiltrotors are available within the planning jurisdiction for disaster relief operations. A comprehensive, vertical flight integration plan would not be of value if there were no vertical flight aircraft available in a disaster situation or if the operators in the area were unwilling or unable to participate.
Fortunately, this has proved to be highly unlikely in most areas. Most helicopter pilots and operators are quite willing to become involved and lend assistance.
However, preplanning and endorsement 5
AC 00-59 1 l/13/98 by corporate and government leadership are critical requirements.
e. Ground-Based Ambulances.
Another assumption is that groundbased ambulances will be the primary means of transport in a disaster situation if roads are passable. In some instances, however, helicopters and tiltrotors will be indispensable in providing the most efficient transport service. These vertical flight aircraft may also aid the Incident Commander with other support missions that cannot be prudently accomplished with the exclusive use of ground units. However, it will never be possible to guarantee that vertical flight aircraft will be available. Quite often, the disaster situation and its attendant casualties are a direct or indirect result of extreme environmental conditions.
Those same extreme conditions could preclude or severely constrain the use of aircraft in the initial phases of the response. Certainly, helicopter and tiltrotor pilots will make every effort, within the limits of safety, to be there when needed. However, they should be considered auxiliary only and reliance should always be placed first on groundbased units.
f. EMS HelicoDters. In 1990, EMS helicopter ambulance service was available in 93 percent of the contiguous United States and 46 percent of Alaska (reference: Air Ambulance Helicopter Operational Analysis, DOT/FAA/RD- 91/7). Over time, this coverage has continued to increase. Almost all of the aircraft used by these services are specially configured with advanced life support equipment and have crews who are highly trained in their use. These air medical services may already be part of the local emergency response system.
Therefore, when it is necessary to transport trauma victims by aircraft, medically configured vehicles should be used. When the hospital-based EMS resources or city/county/state helicopter resources are overwhelmed either from patient transport or other support requirements as the Incident Commander has determined, it is time to implement the plan for “other” vertical flight aircraft participation.
g. Emewencv Relief Worker Registration. It is important that all people who might be involved in emergency relief work be registered by their local emergency preparedness agencies prior to a disaster. The workers may then be covered under workmen’s compensation laws and liability coverage. In addition, some sort of badge identification could be provided to indicate that the worker is registered.
h. Out of ScoDe. Certain planning aspects are outside the scope of these guidelines. These include charges for patient and passenger transport, protocols for determining a patient’s destination hospital (other than those based on lifesaving reasons), insurance and liability for helicopter operations, and reimbursement for their operational costs. While these issues need to be addressed, they are best handled as normal business arrangements between interested parties. If aircraft support is requested by the Federal Government or under a State SARDA plan, the cost may be reimbursable.
AC 00-59 1 l/13/98
6. POTENTIAL HELICOPTER
AND TILTROTOR FLIGHT
MISSIONS SUPPORTING DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS.
Examples of missions that vertical flight aircraft can perform are discussed below. Each community needs to assess the ways that vertical flight aircraft can support their unique relief requirements.
All aircraft operators should be familiar with and comply with the FAA Federal Air Regulations (FAR) contained in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) that affect their operations under each of these potential mission types.
c. Transport of Trauma Patients. The primary responsibility of EMS helicopters should be the transport of trauma patients. Many emergency plans suggest that the nearest hospitals to the incident be bypassed when helicopters are available. By taking patients to more distant medical facilities, it reduces the chance of overwhelming the closest hospital(s) with critical care patients. Helicopters can also perform hospital-to-hospital transfers to place patients in the most appropriate specialty treatment center.
a. Transport of Medical Teams and Supplies to the Disaster &. Vertical flight aircraft can transport medical teams and supplies from designated hospitals and/or trauma centers to the disaster site for triage and initial treatment of trauma victims.
b. Transport of Medical Teams and Supplies to the Affected Hospitals. This involves the transportation of medical teams and supplies from predesignated hospitals, collection points, or supply centers to the primary receiving hospital(s) (usually closest to the disaster site or region) that may become overwhelmed with disaster victims. Be aware that medical personnel privileges generally do not transfer from one hospital to another. The emergency services coordinator in each state should be familiar with hospital policies on this issue. Prearranged permissions need to be addressed.
d. Transport of Disaster Specialists and Supplies. Vertical flight aircraft can transport disaster specialists and supplies to the disaster site or operations center where they can contribute most effectively to the relief effort. When ground transportation has failed, specialists and supplies can be picked up at predesignated assembly points. Specialists could include public safety employees: police, fire, and city/county emergency workers.
e. Emereencv Evacuation. In both normal and disaster situations, vertical flight aircraft are used as an alternative to surface-based transport modes. In a high-rise building fire, they can be used to retrieve fire victims trapped on the roof when fire and smoke make elevators and stairways unserviceable. Similarly, fire fighters can be lifted to the roof for fire fighting and rescue operations. Vertical flight aircraft can pick up people stranded on car tops, rooftops, or in trees above swift floodwaters that no boat could navigate. In many cases, vertical flight aircraft may be the only means of 7