Aviation security is the result of painstaking organizational work to predict potential scenarios and response methods. An Emergency Response Plan (ERP) is a strategy for dealing with accidents that may arise on board, in the office, or in the airport area. Crisis management is a field of activity that organizes, develops, and implements step-by-step manuals for ERP. Thus, this guide’s main objective is to initiate an emergency communication strategy and action for addressing accidents.
ERP is a set of rules that identifies and recommends actions in aviation crises. For example, a system failure onboard, a short circuit in an office, or a fire in an airport area are events that require an immediate response from personnel. Therefore, the manual for step-by-step problem resolution or stakeholder safety is essential for the airline’s long-term operation. Every company has a corporate ERP, but it is based and coordinated by international security standards. The main elements and operating strategies of the manual are:
- Information, data transfer, and features of primary communication;
- Drawing up a clear plan of action for various situations;
- More detailed recommendations on actions and delegation of authority in specific situations;
- Creation of rapid response teams and responsible agents for specific emergencies.
Thus, ERP is created as a primary action strategy for any unique scenario in which the operations of professional workers are essential to people’s lives.
Crisis management is responsible for forecasting, modeling, and proposing solutions to situations in which a company’s physical or intellectual resources are at risk. This body contributes to the ERP and is engaged in monitoring potential changes that will improve the safety of air travel. A crisis manager is primarily a communicator who collects information from specific agencies for its further integration into ERP. For example, a Germanwings flight 9525 accident occurred due to insufficient initial psychological testing of the pilot who committed suicide in the workplace. On the other hand, Malaysia Airlines flight 370 disappeared from radar after a few hours of flying and had been considered missing for more than six years. The scenarios happened for various reasons, but their connecting link is the lack of proper control over the pilots’ moral well-being. In addition to mistakes that need to be avoided, airlines must take steps to ensure that aircraft are monitored even when devices onboard are turned off. Implementing an updated crew health screening policy will help identify the difficulties that could cause a catastrophe in time.
ERP covers the care of the families of those injured and dead in a plane accident. First of all, family assistance means financial and intellectual support for relatives in the event of a failure. It covers the provision of a specialist for investigation from the country whose citizens were involved in an emergency. It partly forms the Go Team, which is the first responder unit, and arrives at the crash site in the first phase of the investigation. The communication strategy that airlines must undertake covers the elements mentioned by the ERP, namely timely emergency checklist, immediate action to save lives, and communication of information to the investigation team. It can be concluded that the detailing of manuals for all air transportation organizations determines each interested party’s actions in case of an emergency.
Aviation security is a complex mechanism in which regulations and manuals manage all actions. Decision-making and the primary behavior model of responsible agents allow choosing a suitable plan according to which passengers will remain safe. While ERP is the responsibility of every air carrier, it is regulated and coordinated by international associations and scientific data. Thus, manuals allow one to maintain flight safety and ensure the optimal performance of organizations in the long term.