The FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) is sponsoring a 3.5-hour webinar tomorrow (Jan. 25) on emergency first responders and aviation accidents. The recent incident in California involving an emergency landing on train tracks and the subsequent dramatic rescue of the pilot highlights the role first responders play in aviation safety.
Though the FAASTeam program is geared primarily for educating first responders on unique aspects of aircraft accidents, the FAA notes, “Pilots that have attended have found it useful and have requested we make this training available. Many times, the pilot [if able] is the first person to help passengers. Pilots based at small uncontrolled airports are often first on scene with aircraft accidents.”
Specific considerations that will be addressed for first responders in dealing with aircraft accidents include: ballistic parachutes, dangers of carbon-fiber airframes that are burning, hot air balloons, injuries specific to skydivers, specific cautions for dealing with rotorcraft accidents, military aircraft, etc.
First responders will familiarize themselves on aircraft stabilization, egress procedures and how best to gain access to occupants. “This is a fast-paced, multi-faceted training, complete with live presenters, detailed slides, and video-based training,” according to the notice from the FAASTeam.
The webinar will serve as a prerequisite to participating in the follow-up Phase 2, a live, hands-on presentation at a New England airport, tentatively scheduled for May 21. The team is planning to have onsite training operators who specialize in egress and survival procedures involving fixed-wing airplanes, rotorcraft, balloons, gliders, skydiving, military and drone operations. Attendees will observe and experience shut-down procedures for a variety of aircraft as well as emergency egress techniques, including underwater scenarios.
Presenters at tomorrow’s webinar include Melanie Folcik Barillaro, an experienced ATP-rated jet pilot, an EMS instructor and an FAA Principal Safety Inspector based at the Bradley International Airport in Connecticut; and Michael Edreich, who is also a Principal Safety Inspector at the Bradley FSDO. Edreich has extensive experience with military aviation and will lead the segment of the webinar on the specifics of military aircraft considerations.
WINGS/AMT credits are available for webinar attendees. Click here to register.
