Creating a Post-Crash Plan
There are certain items that programs/departments/agencies should consider implementing before a tragic event ever occurs. The following items are things that can be developed and incorporated into the organization that will reduce confusion and emotional turmoil during the aftermath of an accident involving serious injuries or death.
Next of Kin Notification/Personal Information Form: a complete and thorough sheet on each employee should be maintained. Combining forms whenever possible can reduce redundancy and amount of information. Working with Human Resources can help you to do this. Some information is more critical for the single employee than for those who are married. The form should be updated yearly or whenever there is a change of information. Information should include the following:
a. complete name of employee
b. home address/phone
c. next of kin and phone numbers (home, work, cell, pager etc.)
d. child/children information along with their designated caretaker
e. pet/animal information
f. physician/dentist name/address/phone
g. alternate for next of kin (same as above)
h. choice of individuals for notification team
i. religion or belief
j. church affiliation
k. retired/active military
l. organ donor
m. desire for full honors funeral
n. directions to crew member homes (general ones)
Biographical Sheet: form that can be given to the media with personal information. This form should be updated yearly. Information contained in this form will be given to the media to personalize the loss for the family and program (put a face to a name). Information can also be used when doing a news story on a particular employee. Make sure the employee knows what the form will be used for. The family should consent to release of info prior to providing to the media. The following information should be included:
a. name
b. years of service/position
c. hire date/DOB
d. credentials/certifications
e. jobs outside organization
f. family profile
g. hobbies/outside interests/volunteer work
h. what is rewarding about the job
i. other personal info that will give a snapshot of the individual
Photographs: a current photo of each employee in uniform should be included in his/her file along with the above items. These should also be updated yearly. Photos can be kept on a CD and indexed according to name and then copied to CD/emailed for dissemination to the press.
Chaplain: incorporate the position of an agency/program Chaplain into your organization. This can either be a paid or volunteer, full or part-time position depending upon the size and resources of your organization. A formal/informal relationship with one of the hospital or other area agency Chaplains can be formed. The position can also be set up as a rotating position of Chaplains from your community though this is not the most desirable option. Not only can they serve and play an important role during a crisis, they can provide day-to-day spiritual support to your personnel. Many of the Chaplains occupy positions on local CISM teams as well. It is imperative that the Chaplain understand your culture and work environment so it will be your responsibility to familiarize them ahead of time. The personality and attitude of the Chaplain is critical to your personnel’s acceptance of this individual into their “family”. An excellent resource “Serving Those Who Serve: Beginning a Fire Department Chaplaincy Program”, is available from the Federation of Fire Chaplains website www.ffcfirechaplains.org.
a. Develop agreed upon expectations/guidelines for both parties (chaplain/program/department)
b. Include Chaplain in crew meetings/program events
c. Have he/she do a ride along shift with crew
Local Support Agencies: make prior contacts and arrangements with local agencies that can assist in line of duty death funerals for flight crewmembers. Having phone numbers and contact individuals in these organizations will reduce the need to locate them if something should occur. Many of these groups can also be utilized for other events such as anniversaries, patient/crew reunions etc. Some of the agencies may include:
a. State professional organizations i.e. fire chiefs association funeral committee (if available)
b. Fire/EMS/Law Enforcement individual(s) with experience in funeral organization/planning
c. Bagpipe groups
d. Local Fire/Law Enforcement Dept. honor and color guards
e. High school/college bands
f. Musicians/Vocalists(may be determined by the family)
g. Videographer to capture events i.e. wake, funeral, memorial
a. Copy(ies) for family (ies) and flight crew
h. Local police for LEADS announcement and escort for family
i. Local military units (if you have veterans involved)
j. Local civic groups that you have provided speakers for i.e. Kiwanis, Lions, Rotary)
k. Facilities that can accommodate large gatherings
l. Transportation companies
a. Buses
b. Limos
Program Funeral Policy: each agency must develop a funeral plan that all members of the organization are familiar with and understand. The plan should include wake, funeral, and memorial options. Different levels can be utilized: Level 1-line of duty death of personnel, Level 2-death of a full-time member of your agency, and Level 3-death of retired member. Resources should be identified ahead of time and commitments for assistance should be solidified based on a pre-determined checklist.
a. Personal Information form should be filled out, copied and shared with emergency contact
b. Trained mental health professional(CISM trained) to be present at initial family briefing
Personnel Department: individual or department that is responsible for the personnel’s benefits should have a checklist of items that need to be closed out in the event of a death. Some of the items are:
a. Emergency check to family of predetermined amount
b. Final paycheck
c. Program insurance policies
i. Term life
ii. Workman’s compensation
d. Social Security survivor benefits
e. Assistance with airfare and hotel arrangements for immediate family(family liaison to coordinate)
f. Special benefits for settlement
i. Vacation
ii. Time due
iii. Sick time
iv. Other items
g. Continued survivor benefits
h. Referral list for survivors
i. Counseling agencies
Program awareness: Every crewmember and their family should be aware of the services available prior to a tragedy. Decisions regarding death wishes and desire for a full honors funeral should be decided upon and made known by the employee to their family and the program to prevent possible confusion should an accident occur. If possible have each crew member fill out a full honors funeral checklist, outlining their wishes and seal it in their personnel file for utilization should the need arise. This will help to alleviate any difficulties surrounding death wishes.
CISM Plan: An acute (immediate response) as well as long term CISM plan should be developed by the program. A plan for dealing with the anniversary of the accident and the responses it will trigger should also be developed. Each of the team members should have a full understanding of the plan in the event of a serious incident or accident.
a. Initial debriefing with a trained mental healthcare professional
i. Crew/management team
ii. Family(ies)-separate from crew
1. Pediatric specific counseling
b. Debriefing with local agencies who were involved
i. Within first 3 days
ii. Can be open to all flight crew, administrative staff, dispatchers, law enforcement, and other involved agencies
c. Number of sessions
i. Average of 3-6 based on group
ii. Additional individual counseling (EAP)
Crisis Communications Plan: A determination should be made as to who will make statements (Public Information Officer/Media Relations Coordinator) to the media following an incident or accident. This can be handled in a variety of different ways:
a. Agency PIO
b. Hospital Media relations coordinator
c. Contracted Outside agency
Once this has been decided, a communications plan should be developed based on who will be the spokesperson(s) for the program and how the flow of information will occur.
Family Care and Follow-up:
a. Family support groups
a. Air Medical Survivors Network
b. On-going contact and communication with the family
a. Work with family(ies) church/minister
c. Counseling
a. Adult and pediatric
d. Media
a. Approval for press releases on loved ones
b. Shielding family(ies) from the media spotlight
e. Airfare and hotel accommodations for immediate family
f. Anniversary
g. Assignment of Family Liaison
h. Labels/stationary for writing letters to the family(ies) at the memorial service
a. Former patients
b. Outside agency personnel
Media Relations Training: The extent and degree to which a agency trains its management personnel in Media Relations will be dependent upon who will fill the position of PIO and what the organization’s overall perceived risk is. All management personnel should have basic training in media relations for everyday operations. This training can be obtained in a variety of ways once the needs and resources of the organization have been determined. This training should include mock interviews with videotaping.
a. The State Emergency Management Agency provides courses on basic and advanced PIO training. Usually these courses are free or provided at a minimal cost. A program can qualify for these classes as long as it is a part of a local disaster plan(city, county, state). Many also provide training classes in tabletop, functional, and full scale disaster training that can aid in running a downed aircraft drill.
b. The Emergency Management Institute located in Emmitsburg, MD offers an advanced PIO course that personnel can apply for admission to once the state basic and advanced courses have been completed. These are offered a number of times per year but must be signed up for in advance (registration for the year is allowed at the beginning of the calendar year). Additional information can be found on www.fema.gov website.
c. If hospital based, or you have a close relationship with a local hospital, talk with them regarding their in-house media training (if they have this available) that they provide to their staff. Your management team may be able to attend. If they do not have this type of training available, consider combining efforts to provide the training for both agencies.
d. Organize with other air medical agencies in your area or through your state AAMS chapter to bring an educator in to train personnel on media relations. This is an excellent way to combine resources and spread costs over several organizations.
e. Join the National Information Officers Association. This organization is an excellent resource for public information officers from around the country. They host a national conference that provides excellent training opportunities relating to media relations. Their website is www.nioa.org
f. Attend area/national seminars/ conferences on media relations i.e. at Fire Department Instructors Conference, EMS Today Conference, JEMS Conference etc…
g. Contract with a local agency to assess your organization’s needs and customize a training program to suit your specific requirements. These agencies are usually public relations firms. Check your local phone book.
h. Talk with one of your fire department PIO’s regarding the PIO classes that are offered in your state for fire department personnel. It may be possible to attend these classes for the cost of a registration fee.
Family/Death Notification: It may be necessary for any of the members of the management team to be involved in death notification. One of the hospital or local chaplains can provide you with assistance as well. Role-playing is a useful tool in understanding the actual process of notification. For those who may be involved this would be an excellent exercise. Some things to consider involving family notification:
a. Always use more than one individual i.e. Program Director, chaplain, other team members.
b. Determine who your notification team is going to be prior to an accident but have back-ups.
c. Who should be notified? Wife? Parents? In-laws? Children?
i. This should be on the next of kin notification
d. Where will the notification occur?
i. Home, work , out of state
ii. Be prepared for delays
e. In the case of serious injuries, the most important concern is getting the family to the employee.
f. The family should learn of the death before the media
i. Whenever possible, tell them in person
ii. If done via the phone, the notification team should meet with the family as soon as possible. Use local law enforcement personnel to physically go to the home to be present for the notification if your agency is unable
iii. Assist with other notifications if desired
iv. Be prepared for anger directed at you
v. Don’t release names until family agrees
g. Multiple victims
i. Assign a liaison to each family
ii. Assemble in a neutral area that you have pre- determined and specified in your plan.
h. Notification can be traumatic to the notification team
i. Be prepared to defuse and/or debrief those involved, particularly if there is more than one death notification or the response from the family is overwhelming.
Pre-assembled press kits: Assemble information that would be useful in the event of an incident/accident and keep in a portable file that can be transported to the command post. Fill in the blank press releases should also be kept with the kits. The number of packets necessary will be determined from your media contact list. Make sure you consider television, radio and print media. Items to be contained within each packet:
a. FAQs(frequently asked questions) about your program
b. DVD footage of helicopter(s)
c. Media badges
d. File photos on CD
e. Photos of crew involved
i. Copies will have to be made from your file photos onto CD or emailed
f. Flight statistics/safety record
g. History of the program
h. Aircraft specs and crew configuration
Overdue Aircraft/Accident Drill: Plan and execute a “true” overdue aircraft/accident drill to really test your PAIP and how it will work. The drill should include the following:
a. Activation of the plan with actual media interviews based on a pre-planned scenario
i. Scenario not to be known by the management team
ii. Utilization of call down tree for all management/agency personnel on the PAIP, including operator/secretary.
b. Video taping/ or trained observer in the dispatch center
c. Placement of aircraft at a hospital or scene for the duration of the drill
d. Movement of management personnel into the roles they would fill should a real incident/accident occur