AIRE FY19 Aviation Incident Response Training

What is an AIRE? A focused training activity that places the participants in a simulated situation requiring them to function in the capacity that would be expected of them in a real aircraft mishap or accident.

Why Have the Exercise? To allow the organization to evaluate its capability to execute its aircraft incident and mishap response plan. Research shows that people generally respond to an emergency in the way they have trained.

Why Have the Exercise? Individual Training - Gives personnel the opportunity to practice their roles and gain experience. Organizational Improvement - Improves the organization’s system for responding to an aviation incident.

Why Have the Exercise? Improves Coordination - Exercises internal and external coordination required in response to aviation incident. Identifies Possible Issues - Focuses on identifying and resolving response problems before an actual incident.

What are we doing today? Internal mishap response drill to support the agency. Series of simulated communications delivered via exercise messages. Exercise your response as you would in the event of actual incident.

Who is involved in the simulation? Participates Aircraft Dispatcher IA Desk Dispatch Center Manager Cadre – Role Players Unit/Forest Aviation Officer Forest/District Duty Officer As needed, exercise facilitators

What does success look like? Short Term Locating and eliminating problems before an actual aviation mishap occurs. Taking corrective actions based on drill. Long Term Evaluate response guide standardization. Evaluate need for response guide revision. Are we still standardized? Evaluate interagency (FS, DOI, State) response protocols within existing aviation mishap response guides.

After the Drill Debrief the drill. Lessons learned remain internal. Unit Aviation Officer submits AAR notes to the Regional Aviation Officer once the unit has completed the simulation.

AIRE – Example Scenario Narrative An exclusive-use helicopter from Santa Fe, New Mexico is stationed in your dispatch response area. They have been here on severity for over three- weeks assisting with local initial attack (IA).

AIRE – Example Scenario NARRATIVE At your 0800 morning dispatch meeting you are told the R-3 IA helicopter pilot needs a proficiency flight as she has not done bucket or longline work over the past 17 days.

AIRE – Example Scenario NARRATIVE At the briefing the Center Manager states that he talked with the local Helibase Manager and Forest Aviation Officer; they both approved the mission and said the Helicopter can use _____________________Lake/River but make sure a dip-site manager is assigned as that area can be busy this time of year.

AIRE – Example Scenario At 1250 Hours 17SIM Chase Truck departs the Helibase for _____________________ Lake/River.

AIRE – Example Scenario At 1300 Hours Helicopter 17SIM is off the Helibase with Pilot Only, 1hr 30 mins on fuel, 10 Min ETE for bucket proficiency work. Pilot states that he/she will flight follow local with Helitack on A/G once at the dip site.

AIRE – Example Scenario At 1305 Hours Helicopter 17SIM turns red on AFF Automated Flight Following, www.aff.gov

AIRE – Example Scenario At 1325 hours 17SIM Chase arrives at ______________________Lake/River. Their communication is weak and you recommend to the POC that they switch to another frequency.

AIRE – Example Scenario At 1335 Hours 9-1-1 calls your center to inform you that a local General Aviation (GA) pilot has reported a downed aircraft at: LAT___________________________ LONG_________________________

AIRE – Example Scenario At 1340 hours, a local land owner and friend of yours calls to let you know he/she saw a helicopter crash on his land. He thinks the helicopter crashed by his cattle pond. He said it happened 15 minutes or so ago and that he was still heading there on his ATV.

CADRE ONLY PAST THIS SLIDE AIRE - CADRE SECTION CADRE ONLY PAST THIS SLIDE

Message Flow Chart (role player) AIRE - CADRE SECTION Message Flow Chart (role player)   Helitack to Dispatch (Radio) Pilot to Dispatch (Radio) 9-1-1 to Dispatch (Phone) Land Owner to Dispatch Exercise Start 1250 1 1305 2 1325 3 1335 4 1340 5

AIRE - CADRE SECTION Set-Up Considerations Set-up and utilize FM handhelds (direct channels, such as tac/project). Set-up and utilize actual phones. Determine if you want to have dispatchers call actual personnel listed in their response guide (fire staff, duty officer, line officer), or if you will play those roles with numbers/phones available near the dispatch office. Notify Vendors prior to simulation if you plan on using a real time scenario or plan on actually calling the vendors during the sim. Ensure you take notes during the simulation. The simulation mishap response guide is provided in this package and has note blocks, but use whatever works for you. Inform others if you utilize actual radio communications for the sim (tac- channels). A good practice is to state on the frequency to be used: “Simulation only” prior-to and 1-2 times during. At the end state “end-simulation”.

AIRE - CADRE SECTION Learning Environment Know your audience, run the simulation with that in mind (simple/complex) During simulations it’s not uncommon to see students get stressed and nervous. “Pause-simulation” or “hold simulation” for a teaching moment. Ensure the after-action-review (AAR) encourages two-way conversations (dispatcher's and cadre) Was this training useful to the dispatcher(s)? Get their feedback. Wrap-up - End-State If an aviation incident happened tomorrow, would the dispatch center handle it well? Does the dispatch center have a current (2019) Aviation Mishap Response Guide? Provide a copy of the plan to the UAO AIRE Task Group. Is there an immediate need to provide the dispatch center additional guidance or training regarding mishap response?