California Aviation Attorneys

An Aircraft Accident Is Also Unique In Creating An Event With A Two Level Public Safety San Francisco Bay Region With Over 262,000 Flights A Year And 13 Million Passengers

The Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) serves the Silicon Valley area of the greater San Francisco Bay region. With over 262,000 flights a year and 13 million passengers coming through the airport as of FY 2001, the possibility of a major aviation accident must be considered. In addition, flight paths from San Francisco International and Oakland International Airports fly over the City of San Jose Within the boundaries of San Jose, Santa Clara County operates Reid Hillview Airport, a general aviation airport. Between 1996-2001, there has been a number of general aviation forced landings or unplanned landings. Aviation accidents may be caused by problems originating from mechanical difficulties, pilot error, or acts of terrorism. Initially an airport accident will be treated as a Multiple Casualty Incident with a fire. Victim rescue and fire oppression will be the Fire Department’s primary focus. The Fire Department will assume Incident Command in the field and Operations Chief in the Emergency Operations Center. Other City departments will support the Fire Department as outlined in the Emergency Operations Plan and this Annex. Upon notification of the accident, the City of San Jose’s Emergency Operations Center (OES) can be activated by the Office of Emergency Service at the direction of the City Manager or at the request of Fire or Police personnel, as outlined in the City’s Emergency Operations Plan. Federal agencies will respond to the accident site including the National Transportation Safety Board (N.T.S.B.), the Federal Aviation Administration (F.A.A.), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). As the off-site aviation accident area transitions from one of rescue and fire suppression to recovery other City services will be drawn upon. Restoration of utilities, determination of structural safety and integrity, and street maintenance may be required to bring the City back to normal. Aircraft accident is unique in creating two separate but related disasters for two sets of victims. The passengers and crew and their families are provided with specialized support under the National Transportation Safety Board Federal Family Assistance Plan for Aviation Disasters, created under Public Law 104-264, Title VII, Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996. (Annex 1), October 9, 1996 (Attachment 4). Meeting their post-rescue needs is principally the responsibility of the airline that owns the aircraft. When the accident occurs off the airport site, members of the community are also victims, either through the direct mechanism of the accident, or through the disruption to community infrastructure caused by the crash. Aid to these victims will come initially through community consequence management resources.

An aircraft accident is also unique in creating an event with a two level public safety response. Initially local law enforcement will focus on supporting victim rescue and damage abatement operations through providing scene security and access control, traffic control, and crowd control. Services to the impacted residential community may include warning and evacuation assistance, and neighborhood security. Once the rescue is complete and all fires have been put out, the focus shifts to crime scene preservation and evidence protection. The lead law enforcement agency may shift to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the lead investigative agency will be the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Once federal agencies take charge of the crash site, a Joint Operations Center (JOC) and Joint Information Center (JIC) will be established that will include local government representatives along with federal agency personnel. B.

PURPOSE This annex has been developed to provide the basis for government and the private sector to coordinate and interrelate in the event of an off-site aviation accident in San Jose to save life and protect property. C.
 
SCOPE This plan addresses the emergency response to an off-site aviation accident within the City of San Jose. This annex is intended to supplement the City of San Jose Emergency Operations Plan. It will address elements of the emergency organization that would have specific emphasis during an off-site aviation accident emergency. This annex is intended as a guide; it can be modified, as necessary, to cope with unforeseen conditions and events.

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