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d. Name and telephone number(s) of flight operations manager and/or chief pilot.
Information regarding aircraft mission(s), air traffic control, radio frequencies, flight hazards, landing zones, and traffic patterns should be transmitted to this individual in advance of dispatch if possible.
e. Number, make, and model of aircraft and their mission capability. Each helicopter and tiltrotor aircraft, along with the registration or "N" number, should be listed Additionally, identify the passenger capacity and any special equipment available so that the aircraft can be matched with the relief/rescue task.
f. Base of operations and response time per 50 nautical miles.
In dispatching aircraft, their location in relation to the scene is a critical factor.
Identify their operating bases and how long it will take the aircraft to arrive at the scene based on the block speed (liftoff to touchdown) of that particular aircraft. Consider this and the mission requirement that the aircraft will be performing when requesting helicopter or tiltrotor support. The response time should include engine start up, run up, etc.
g. Duration of flight. In making mission assignments, consider when refueling and change of aircrew will be required. Knowing the duration of flight will assist the AO director in programming resources over a given period of time.
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h. Load Capacity.
(1) Passengers. Number of ambulatory (able to walk) passengers the aircraft can carry.
(2) Litter Patients.
Number of litters the aircraft can accommodate.
(3) Payload. Amount of weight, including both supplies and passengers, that the aircraft can safely carry under standard conditions, both internal and external (sling load), if appropriate.
i. Fuel requirements. It may be possible to have a staging area close to the scene where aircraft can be refueled. A tanker truck carrying the required fuel such as Jet A or 100 Octane can be positioned at the staging area to eliminate time-consuming ferry flights back to an airport or operations base. If extended operations are planned, helicopter and tiltrotor operators may want to bring their own consumables (oil, hydraulic fluid, transmission fluid, etc.). Active and reserve military units have the capability to provide fuel transportation, storage, and dispensing equipment.
j. Size of landing area required. Helicopter and tiltrotor operators may require a landing area that is larger than what is recommended in AC150/5390-2, Heliport Design.
Note any special requirements.
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k. Operational limitations. In operating helicopters and tiltrotors, there are several limitations that must be recognized:
(1) Geographical locations of the scene. A particular aircraft operator may not wish to operate outside a specified radius.
(2) Political.
Jurisdictions or command hierarchies may require that certain aircraft resources be called out in a particular order such as police helicopters, first;
hospital helicopters, second; private resources, third; Army National Guard, Army, or Coast Guard, fourth, etc. The order is likely to vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
(3) Environmental. This field denotes whether a particular aircraft is certified for flight in inclement weather (winds, icing, reduced visibility, etc.) or whether the operator has a corporate/company policy of no instrument flight rules (IFR) operations or no nighttime flights. In addition, altitude and temperature restrictions are very important in many parts of the country.
(4) Personnel. Take into consideration that personnel must be qualified to conduct operations under the environmental conditions.
(5) Mission. Some types of missions require specific FAA approval. For example, an operator must obtain FAA approval as an "FAR 133 operatori prior to conducting external-load operations.
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1. Specialized equipment.
Each operator may have the ability to perform a variety of tasks beyond carrying passengers. Often, this involves either special equipment or an aircraft configuration that is required for a special task:
(1) Searchlight. Used in night operations to locate victims, assess damage, spotlight potential landing areas or hazards that should be removed.
(2) Rescue net. Rescue net carried from a tether underneath the aircraft or a hoist (either externally or internally mounted).
(3) Rescue hoist. Many helicopters have a cable and winch system that allows the insertion and extraction of emergency personnel or the extraction of victims from areas where the helicopter is unable to land.
(4) Forward looking infrared (FLIR). Sensor used for locating victims, evaluating potential landing areas, etc.
(5) Cargo hook.
Supplies can be carried outside the aircraft using a tether suspended from the cargo hook. This can be useful in areas where conditions prevent even a helicopter or tiltrotor aircraft from landing. Consult the FAR's for applicability.
(6) Aerial photographic pod. Useful for filming disaster scene for developing disaster relief control maps, pinpointing landing zones, identifying areas that need first priority for cleanup or rescue.
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(7) Airborne data link.
Some systems can provide two-way data link communications outside of VHF communications coverage.
(8) Automatic dependent surveillance (ADS) equipment is capable of providing low altitude service outside RADAR coverage.
Several operators in the Gulf of Mexico have used ADS for flight following.
(9) Other special equipment. There may be other types of special equipment such as floats or rappelling devices. Each survey form should leave space for an operator to advise the agency of any of these other specialized capabilities that would enhance a rescue or relief mission.
m. Communications. There are four primary elements of communications requirements.
(1) On-board communications equipment. This includes UHF, VHF, cellular phones, FM radio, and video camera equipment.
Civil and public service aircraft may have different types of avionics supporting either VHF (civil aviation) or UHF and FM (military aviation), or both. The airborne command/control aircraft should have the capability to transmit and receive all bands. One significant problem when using military aircraft is that most do not have radios that operate in the same frequency bands as the radios used by civil police and fire units. This can be compensated by the use of hand-held radios and/or auxiliary radios that attach to the helicopter's military radios.
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(2) Ground communications equipment. This includes cellular phones, short-wave radio, and facsimile machines. In the event that regular telephone service is disrupted due to equipment problems, satellite communications or microwave cellular phones may bridge the disruption by maintaining phone communication to the aircraft base of operations. Internet E-mail may also provide an effective method of exchanging information.
(3) Emergency communications frequencies.
Established emergency frequencies are needed for air operations, ground operations, and medical/rescue information exchange. The use of separate channels facilitates a more efficient management of aircraft operations and the medical/rescue network. Segregating the communications net helps prevent potential conflicts forced by sharing radio frequencies.
(4) Predetermined call sign assignment. The AO center will designate special call signs if the choice is made to use something other than the aircraft's registration number (N- number). (See also paragraph 46.)
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34. SAMPLE SURVEY FORM.
Figure 3-1 illustrates a sample survey form. This is offered as a guide for the planning agency in developing a form tailored to its own emergency plan.
Consider automating (computerizing) the completed data so that the information can be sorted using a variety of "fields". Example of such fields include region (NE, NW...), mission (supplies, medical, passenger...), special equipment (helicopters with "floats" for water rescue, FLIR for locating victims...), or disaster type (high-rise fire, earthquake, etc.). During an emergency, the ability to focus on relevant data can improve the efficiency of the response operation.
35. CONDUCTING THE SURVEY.
Conduct a survey using the initial helicopter and tiltrotor inventory list developed from information received from one or more of the listed organizations. This activity could involve multiple steps in order to get a final list of participants.
a. Develop an initial list of helicopter and tiltrotor operators.
b. Create a survey form.
c. Mail or E-mail the survey form to operators with the following information:
(1) Cover letter describing the nature of the project.
(2) Deadline for responding (advise and highlight), and 11/13/98
(3) Contact person for answering questions or further describing the program
d. Receive the survey forms and, if necessary, retype information onto final form.
e. Send the operator a copy of the final aircraft inventory data form to verify the information.
f. Place the forms in a binder for the AO center. Organize the forms to match the task with the capability.
g. Establish a periodic review cycle for validating the currency of information and modifying it as required.
h. Make a determination on the registration of emergency workers and on whether reimbursement is appropriate and required.
36. VERIFYING AND UPDATING.
The resource inventory will be a compilation of those data forms from operators willing to participate in disaster relief and rescue programs.
Therefore, maintain only forms from committed operators in the disaster relief plan file. Have the operator verify the final data forms so that there are no transpositions, errors, or misunderstandings as to the operator's commitment and use of aircraft. The data forms can be updated by merely copying them and sending them to the individual operators for revision or continued commitment to the program.
Creation of a computerized database can be a very efficient method for 25
maintaining and updating your data.
Even greater efficiencies may be achieved if this file is accessible via the Internet for reference and updating.
37-39. RESERVED.
CHAPTER 4. COMMUNICATIONS
40. COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK. An effective communications capability is essential to deploying aircraft in support of emergency operations. This chapter focuses on the need and methodology for establishing a communications network to implement a vertical flight aircraft support plan for disaster relief.
41. TERMINOLOGY,
PHRASEOLOGY, AND ACRONYMS. Each of the various groups in the disaster relief effort employs terms and phrases unique to their operation. Additionally, a specific acronym (abbreviation) does not always hold the same meaning for all responders. Thus, it is important to teach people to avoid the use of jargon and acronyms. This reduces the potential for misinterpretation.
42. ESTABLISH AN EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK.
From the initial aircraft request until completion of the mission, the flow of information is critical. Figure 4-1 illustrates a communications network for requesting and managing helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft support. ONLY
ONE ENTITY SHOULD BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR DISPATCHING
VERTICAL FLIGHT AIRCRAFT
SUPPORT AND MANAGING THE ASSOCIATED RESOURCES.
Information is relayed to the command post as the demand changes. Advisories that alter the level of support are relayed through the net on a continuing basis.
The following is a brief explanation of the roles of each entity in the network.
a. Command Post. The command post (CP) is the initial contact point that receives notification of the disaster and requests activation of the disaster plan. Generally, this is the community's communications clearing house or an emergency number where alerts can be issued to authorities. As the plan is implemented and needs are identified, services are requested through the command post.
b. Incident Commander. In the USA, disaster relief efforts are often conducted using the Incident Command System (ICS). In this system, the Incident Commander (IC) is in charge of implementing the emergency operations plan. The IC notifies appropriate city/county staff and department heads of the action and requests their assistance in "turning on" various emergency operations. The IC or the delegated representative determines the need for aircraft support and provides information to the Air Operations (AO) center. This information includes:
(1) Type of disaster,
(2) Alert level,
(3) Location of disaster,
(4) Anticipated number of people requiring rescue or rapid transport,
(5) Types of helicopter and tiltrotor aircraft support needed,
(6) Locations of staging areas and/or landing zones, 27
Disaster Relief Effort Requirement Activation Command Checklist Post (CP) Incident Requirements Air Operations Verification Commander Director FAA Air Traffic Control Requirements Medical Information Hospital(s) Mission Assignments Landing Air Traffic Control Zones) Helicopters) Communications Plan Emergency Communications Net 11/13/98 FIGURE 4-1. EXAMPLE - HELICOPTER AND TILTROTOR COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
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(7) Weather at landing zone including wind speed and direction if possible, and
(8) Possible landing hazards.
c. Air Operations (AO) Center. The AO center will receive, then verify the request from the IC.
Depending on the requirements, the AO center may then communicate with the command post for further operational and support requirements.
(1) The AO center director should be familiar with helicopter capabilities (and tiltrotor capabilities, if appropriate), able to weigh operational risks, and experienced in making decisions under pressure. The AO director is responsible for implementing the vertical flight aircraft communications plan.
(2) The AO center will advise, designate, or request air traffic control (ATC) assistance from the FAA or, if applicable, the airborne air traffic controller (AATC). In addition, the AO center will request vertical flight aircraft support; determine the types and numbers of aircraft needed; determine the anticipated duration of assignments;
establish mission priorities; assess flight crew relief; organize ground support and security for helicopter and tiltrotor landing zones and staging areas; arrange for fuel trucks for sustained operations at staging areas; coordinate aircraft on the ground, in the air, at hospitals, and at staging areas; and disseminate 11/13/98 information such as control maps, frequencies, geographical coordinates of landing zones and staging areas, hazards, call numbers and names of personnel in charge.
(3) In the event a heliport/vertiport directory does not exist, landing site information (latitude, longitude, approach azimuth, potential hazards, notable landmarks, etc.) will be given to pilots.
(4) The AO center continuously monitors activities of helicopter and tiltrotor crews, medical crews, hospitals, air traffic control, and command and control operations. The AO center assesses further operational requirements as disaster details become known and the relief/rescue effort progresses. Air operations may shift staging areas, casualty collection points, hospitals, and emergency landing zones as required.
d. Collocation. Whenever possible, the Command Post, the Incident Commander, and the Air Operation Center should be collocated.
e. Communications Plan.
Smooth interactions among the medical and rescue units with helicopter and tiltrotor support activities and the prioritization of multiple relief requests comprise the most complicated and dynamic tasks of the communications plan. Ideally, the communications plan will help evaluate the initial estimation of damage and assignment of resources and will perform continuous 29
AC 00-59 reassessment of these factors and their impact on the level of support. The information exchanged is the basis for making weighted control decisions regarding the resources required to mitigate the disaster. The communications plan is composed of at least three information components:
(1) Medical information.
Medical tracking includes patient name, means of transport, medical status, and destination. The AO center assesses the requirements to transport medical personnel and special medical supplies or equipment. The AO also determines bed availability and assignment of receiving facilities. (Confidentiality dictates that patient names will not be broadcast unless there is some overriding reason to do so.)
(2) Mission assignments.
Mission assignments include operations, landing zone designation, assessment of rescue efforts, and specification of disaster reliet requirements.
(3) Air traffic control.
ATC consists of information from the FAA and potentially an airborne air traffic controller (AATC, e.g., police helicopter, Civil Air Patrol airplane, etc.). When AATC services are required, this controller will advise and sequence helicopters and tiltrotor traffic in and out of the landing zone and staging areas. The AATC will receive requests from air operations regarding the distribution of outgoing aircraft to hospitals, staging areas, and landing zones. The AATC will also coordinate with FAA ATC as necessary. The FAA will control the restricted airspace, issue 30 11/13/98 NOTAM's, and support the operations on a more general level.
f. Frequency Assignment. A key to information exchange is the establishment of separate, autonomous frequencies for medical, air, and ground operations. (A common frequency for use by all aviation personnel helps pilots to maintain the situational awareness required for safe operations. In addition, pilots need to be able to communicate, on an as-needed basis, with medical and ground operations personnel.) During a disaster, frequency congestion can cause conflicts in transmitting vital information or impede traffic control. Among various operational components, it is important that there be discrete emergency frequencies dedicated to each function.
The command post and the AO center should be able to monitor these frequencies simultaneously for reporting or requesting changes to the support levels. As hospital facilities approach saturation or as landing zone requirements are relayed to the command post, resources can be shifted or new demand levels can be established. Figure 4-2 summarizes some of the participants, the type of information being relayed, and the frequency ranges that are commonly used.
43. ESTABLISH PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOLS. Avoiding chaos and unnecessary radio traffic is one primary objective of writing and adopting a disaster relief plan.
Determining who is in charge and what procedures should be carried out will help minimize the confusion that often accompanies a disaster.
PARTICIPANTS AIRBORNE ATC TO PILOT FAA TO PILOT LZ CONTROL TO PILOT AO TO PILOT LZ CONTROL TO AIR CONTROL LZ CONTROL TO AO AO TO LZ CONTROL AO TO HOSPITAL AO TO POLICE CP TO AO MED CREW TO HOSPITAL HOSPITAL TO AO PILOT TO AO PILOT TO CP PILOT TO AIRBORNE ATC AC 00-59
INFORMATION FAA Air Traffic Control VHF, UHF
VHF, VAP, VHF, ETA Landing Zone FM UHF UHF UHF Landing Zone Conditions: VHF, Windspeed/Direction UHF, Lighting/Availability FM Landing Zone Coordinates/ Landmarks VHF, UHF VHF, UHF, FM VHF, UHF VHF, UHF VHF, UHF, FM On-Scene ATC of VHF, VHF, UHF, Cellular FM, Landing Zone UHF FM Phone (VHFUHF, Alert Notification Cellular Phone Damage Assessment Video UHF, VHF, Mission Assignment UHF FM, Mission Requirements Cellular Phone Security/Ground Control Cellular Phone
FM, FM, ETA Hospitals Cellular Phone FM VHF, UHF Hospital Resources FM Patient Status FIGURE 4-2. SAMPLE COMMUNICATIONS MATRIX 11/13/98
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a. Written Procedures. Every jurisdiction and mission should have written, established procedures in place for the smooth coordination, contro., and performance of rescue operations.
Protocols should be specific to avoid misinterpretation of authority for
b. Organized Protocols. It is advisable that protocols be organized by disaster type, controlling agency, and the aircraft operators' mission capabilities. Protocols and procedures should focus on areas of information inherent in the communications net. In addition, regular exercise of the plan is just as important as plan development.
44. MEDICAL INFORMATION.
Many types of medical information are critical to relief and rescue efforts including evaluation of injuries and special equipment needs. Information about the following may need to be communicated:
a. The command post or emergency operations center for alerting the medical community, i.e.
hospitals, helicopter and tiltrotor operators, physicians, Red Cross, and volunteer agencies;
b. The disaster scene, including the location(s) of victims;
C. The medical control unit to request special equipment, to specify patient care, to transport requirements, and to relay changes in bed availability;
32 11/13/98 requesting resources and controlling various activities relating to the disaster scene. Because different types of disasters often dictate different requirements, the procedures should also be flexible to be responsive to the specific disaster at hand.
d. The triage area for treatment, stabilization, and priority for transport;
e. The landing zone for special transport instructions depending on the severity of injury;
f. The AO center to the receiving facility for patient condition updates, aircraft estimated time of arrival (ETA), bed availability, and en route care requirements; and
g. The log book for problems or deviations from established procedures including causes or rationale behind deviations and results. Pictures and video may enhance the recall process during a post-incident analysis.
45. MISSION ASSIGNMENT. AO center mission assignment functions may be ground-side or airborne depending on the resources available.
Mission assignment duties are a command and control function that may encompass damage assessment, resource requirements and requests, air traffic control, and resource management. The AO director will do the following:
a. Manage emergency operations and aircraft mission assignments;
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b. Determine the agency that will provide aircraft for use in AATC;
c. Prioritize activities based on alert levels (i.e., determine airspace requirements), advise the authorizing agency on the nature and extent of damages, and call for ground and airborne support, etc.;
d. Provide damage assessment and notify the IC/command post of resource requirements and available staging areas close to the scene;
e. Advise the IC/command post, manage resources as relief requirements shift geographically, adjust the response levels as the need diminishes; and
f. Maintain a log on problems or deviations from established procedures including causes or rationale. Pictures and video can enhance recall during post-incident analysis.
46. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. Air traffic control will likely be conducted using a local ATC facility, a temporary emergency ATC facility, an AATC, or a combination of these facilities. All air traffic issues should be coordinated with local FAA personnel during development of the disaster response plan(s). Procedures should include the following:
a. Determine the agency that will control air operations at the disaster scenes;
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b. Coordinate with the FAA/ATC on when and where to "hand off' aircraft;
c. Provide "fixes" for landing zones or staging areas or advising air operations of landmarks for ground reference in locating the site(s);
d. Determine traffic flow and advise the command post and air operations of patterns in advance of dispatch, if possible;
e. Sequence aircraft for approach to landing zones or staging areas;
f. Control departing aircraft to a disaster support area, a receiving facility, or a hand-off point to FAA/ATC for further guidance to intended destination;
g. Control the flow of observation/surveillance aircraft or approved broadcast media aircraft within or around the disaster scene if allowed under 14 CFR 91.137, Temporary Flight Restrictions;
h. Provide damage assessment to command post for further allocation or management of relief resources; and
i. Maintain a log on problems or deviations from established procedures including causes or rationale behind deviations and results - pictures and video may enhance the recall process during debriefing.