Crisis Management & Emergency Response Planning

CRISIS MANAGEMENT & EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANNING

The aviation industry plays a crucial role in facilitating overall economic activity. It also serves as a critical element in specific economic areas. Notwithstanding the significant position it has in influencing passenger carriage, the aviation industry ensures an efficient and cost-effective movement of commodities and services. Despite the industry supporting the safest transportation modes, several headline-grabbing disasters have occurred frequently (Flanagan et al., 2011, p. 15). Importantly, the aviation industry should have the capacity and strength to handle disasters.

This is through its stakeholders who are involved in the coordination and management of different activities, including the management of disasters. Among the aviation, stakeholders include airport control officers, Electronic Engineers, aviation organizations, aviation policymakers, airline owners, and the governments’ department of air transports. The aviation stakeholders have to evaluate different internal and external factors for consideration in the planning and implementation of a crisis management emergency response plan.

Evaluating Internal Factors for Crisis Management and Emergency Response

The various disaster factors refer to facts that enhance knowledge development in terms of managing disasters successfully in the aviation sector. Therefore, disaster factors may have a direct or indirect impact on the process and outcome of disaster management.

Internal Factors

The internal factors are the factors that exist in the internal environment of the aviation industry. They focus on the employees, managers, procedures, processes, and decision making among others. The known internal factors discussed by the report include training & leadership, compliance to internal aviation policies, communication, skill & expertise among stakeholders, and resource/financial availability.

Training of Stakeholders in the Aviation Industry

Low frequency and high casualty situations such as aircraft disasters require immediate, skilled, and well-organized response. Therefore, it is crucial for airport commanders and employees to acquire operational competency within their environments which are stressful and continuously changing. The rescue firefighting teams at the aircraft should have the opportunity to learn best practices regarding firefighting. This means that they require a more controlled environment that influences them to concentrate on an aircraft disaster. The aviation industry experience fuel spillages that involve the most complex aircraft incident. The above information means that they need training on aircraft types, incident location, high jacking situations, a period of disaster, weather conditions, and the available resources (Flanagan et al., 2011, p. 10). Training involves a physics-based simulation that makes a fire in the same way as in real situation. The teams involved in fire management should behave in a manner that would be similar to handling real fire situations.

Training should also look into the collaboration aspect of the stakeholders. An airport emergency requires teamwork, a weakness for many employees in different economic sectors. Team management training influences efficiency in incident command, control, communication, and coordination of different agencies working at the airport in case of an emergency. The airport comprises of different teams such as emergency medical services, police & security, air traffic control, firefighting personnel, and airport operation officers. These teams are complex and require coordination to avoid confusion during a crisis. Therefore, training them together ensures complete continuity among all agencies and influence a positive outcome.

Compliance to Internal Aviation Policies

Security in the aviation industry is vitally significant in the protection of a country’s infrastructure and the general traveling public. Compliance is crucial for ensuring that the industry can meet the security requirements established in a country. It is also applicable in an environment whereby issues arise, and they undergo swift rectification. The stakeholders involved in crisis management and emergency response to should ensure proper observations, inspections, and effective audits are undertaken to align processes and procedures with the security objectives of the aviation industry. The same applies to the introduction and deployment of Security Management Systems (SeMS) in the aviation industry. It also means establishing a team that is involved in the management process of the systems and its delivery.

Compliance begins with airports and moves to airlines, cargo, and in-flight supplies. Airports need to undergo continuous assessment in a broad spectrum. Importantly, passengers, staff, and airport goods need to undergo training. Again, recruitment needs to be of high standards. Security screening equipment should have a high level of integrity. Another critical issue should look into reviewing security infrastructure at the airport. Aircraft need to possess secure operations for the safety of public traveling to different destinations. The United States has more than 50 licensed air carriers and over 500 foreign air carriers flying into the country, which should comply with the country’s security measures (Collier & Lakoff, 2015, p. 22).

Some of the regulations that the airlines need to comply with include boarding procedures, baggage screening, cockpit security, and recruitment. Cargo should also be screened and inspected to remove unauthorized cargo. In-flight catering ensures that a journey becomes more enjoyable and secure. In-flight supplies should have robust procedures to provide the prevention of prohibited articles’ introduction into the catering.

Leadership in the Aviation Industry

The category includes effective leadership in the aviation industry. It entails the role of leadership in ensuring the planning and coordination of disaster-based activities. Stakeholders may lack skills and the needed knowledge when it comes to disaster risk management programs which may be a major catastrophe for the aviation industry. The presence of valid information ensures adequate information about managing a crisis. It also eliminates coordination problems during phases such as relief and rehabilitation that come after a crisis. Despite stakeholders providing the best in the performance of their duties, they may lack experience and a system that lead to productive results. With proper leadership in place, the situation may change. Effective leadership may ensure the development and implementation of cost-effective countermeasures for the aviation industry crisis management and emergency response planning.

The process of managing a large and complex project is demanding and requires competent and experienced leadership. Poor leadership may lead to low-quality programs that ensure insecure operations of the industry, infrastructure, and equipment (Boin, Busuioc, & Groenleer, 2014, p. 425). The nature of the aviation industry demands management competencies and networking with global partners. It requires adequate planning and resources to ensure efficient and effective operations. The best leadership skills in the industry ensure that specific protocols are complied with and standards are established to ensure that the industry prepares itself for any crisis. Leadership provides the sector with secure logistical operations. Importantly, it aligns technology, people, and expertise for the desired outcomes.

Leadership is necessary for the aviation industry because it ensures the presentation of risk information and effective communication to the involved stakeholders. It creates strategies that are relevant for risk loss reduction. It brings