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FAA Airport Conference Hershey, PA 2008. Sharon Bryson Director Office of Transportation Disaster Assistance 202-314-6185 brysons@ntsb.gov. Mission of the NTSB. The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent federal agency responsible for investigating:
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Sharon BrysonDirectorOffice of Transportation Disaster Assistance202-314-6185brysons@ntsb.gov
Mission of the NTSB The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent federal agency responsible for investigating: • All civil aviation accidents in the United States • Significant accidents in other modes of transportation--railroad, highway, marine and pipeline
Mission of the NTSB • Issuing safety recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents • Responsible for assisting families affected by major transportation disasters
Background • September 9, 1996: Executive memorandum designates NTSB as the coordinator of federal services to families of victims of major transportation disasters • October 9, 1996: Congress passes the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996
Background • October 29, 1997: Final Report from the Task Force on Assistance to Families of Aviation Disasters is issued • December 16, 1997: Congress passes the Foreign Air Carrier Family Support Act
Role of the Office of Transportation Disaster Assistance • Coordinate & provide additional resources to the airline and local government to help victims and their families • Ensure local responsibility and jurisdiction are preserved
Fire & Rescue Law Enforcement Environmental Cleanup Medical Assistance Recovery Victim Identification Local Government Role
After the Initial Response (NON CRIMINAL/TERRORIST) CRASH AIRLINE FBI NTSB ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION & TRANSPORTATION DISASTER ASSISTANCE AIRPORT POLICE RED CROSS FIRE/EMS FEDERAL AGENCIES SEMA
Areas of Critical Concern • Initial notification of the accident • Recovery and identification of remains • Return of personal effects • Providing information
Victim Support Tasks (VST) VST 1: NTSB Tasks VST 2: Airline Tasks VST 3: Family Care and Mental Health (ARC) VST 4: Victim Identification, Forensic and Medical Services (HHS) VST 5: Assisting Families of Foreign Victims (DOS) VST 6: Communications (DHS-FEMA) VST 7: Assisting Victims of Crime (FBI-OVA)
VST 1: NTSB Tasks • Coordinate federal assistance and serve as liaison between airline and family members • Coordinate with airline about family and support staff logistics • Integrate federal support staff with airline staff to form Joint Family SupportOperations Center (JFSOC) • Coordinate assistance effort with local and state authorities
VST 1: NTSB Tasks • Conduct daily coordination meetings with local officials and airline • Provide and coordinate family briefings • Progress on investigation • Progress on recovery & identification efforts • Personal effects process • Use of conference bridge for families that don’t travel to the accident city
VST 1: NTSB Tasks • Coordinate with IIC for possible visit to crash site • For water crashes, coordinate with local authorities for a suitable location that looks out towards the crash site • Coordinate USCG for honor guard and for a helo to take flowers to the crash site
VST 1: NTSB Tasks • Maintain contact with family members and provide updates as required • Provide a special website that will provide information and investigative updates • In some cases, provide a special email address to contact Transportation Disaster Assistance
VST 1: NTSB Tasks • Provide an 800 number for families to reach Transportation Disaster Assistance • Coordinate details affecting families when public hearings and Board meetings are held • Debrief with carrier’s CARE team leadership on how the event was managed
AMERICAN RED CROSS
VST 3: Family Care & Mental Health • Red Cross responsible agency • Activate national Red Cross response system • Coordinate resources for critical incident stress debriefing of support personnel prior to departure • Coordinate and manage volunteer counseling and support services
VST 3: Family Care & Mental Health • Employ an accounting system to accurately record cost data by specific categories • Coordinate child care & spiritual services • Coordinate with airline the delivery of crisis health support to family members, to include those that do not travel to incident site • Arrange a suitable inter-faith memorial service (if applicable)
VST 4: DHS-Division FEMA-NDMS • Supported by DOD • Disaster Mortuary Operational ResponseTeam(DMORT) can provide assistance in the areas of identification, mortuary support and temporary morgue facilities • Specialized team to interview family members for ante mortem information
VST 4: DHS-Division FEMA-NDMS • Collect disposition of remains information • Assist medical examiner in notifying family members of positive identification, to include explaining how identification was determined • Conduct check of remains and personal effects prior to release to local funeral director
VST 5: DOS • Notify foreign governments that have citizens involved in the airline incident • Provide translation services to family members and interested parties • Assist families of foreign victims with entry into the US • Assist foreign air carrier staff with entry into the US • Assist in return of remains and personal effects into the country of destination
VST 6: FEMA • Provide communication assets to communicate from incident site to NTSB headquarters • Provide personnel to assist in public information dissemination • Assist during an urban aviation disaster (if applicable)
NTSB & FBI: A working partnership
NTSB & FBI • NTSB and FBI work together as partners on major transportation disasters • New MOU signed fall 2005 • Expect to see the FBI at all major disasters • NTSB is the lead agency until it is determined to be a criminal/terrorist act • Assistance that might be requested from the FBI: • Evidence Response Team (ERT) • Disaster Squad • Office for Victim Assistance • Criminal Investigative Division • Counterterrorism Division
NTSB & FBI • If an event is determined to be criminal/terrorist act, then specific handoff procedures will be employed. NTSB will support FBI as needed • NTSB & FBI specialists and special agents are receiving cross training in specialized areas • NTSB working very closely with FBI Airport Agents Program
Summary • Preserve the integrity of the investigation • To help victims and their families • Interagency cooperation • Federal government’s role is to coordinate and provide additional resources to airline and local government • Local responsibility and jurisdiction preserved