The NTSB has five members, each nominated by the
President and confirmed by the Senate to serve 5-year terms. The
President designates chairman and vice chairman from these members
for 2-year terms.
The NTSB Web site section called
Resources
for Journalists describes what happens during
the first few days of an aircraft accident investigation. NTSB
also has mailing lists for press releases, safety recommendations,
and other announcements. You can register online.
The NTSB's Office
of Transportation Disaster Assistance coordinates federal
support for the airlines and local and state authorities to
assist the needs of crash victims and their families. The
board sets up a family assistance center at a nearby hotel,
and access is strictly limited to protect the privacy of family
members. Usually within 24 hours, the board will brief the media
on the assistance being provided to the families, and a PAO
is assigned to answer questions by phone.
Memorial services held near the scene of the accident and
crash site visits for family members are private. However, a
media pool may be established to provide coverage. Details will
be announced by PAOs at the family assistance center.
As part of its investigation into certain accidents, the board
may hold a public hearing to record evidence. These hearings
are open. Media Contact:NTSB
Public Affairs Office (202) 314-6100.
Civil Air Patrol
The Civil Air Patrol is the U.S. Air Force
auxilliary organization usually tasked with finding downed aircraft.
The organization is comprised of volunteers, including civilians
and inactive duty military personnel. They use radio direction
finders to locate the plane's emergency beacon and use aerial
and ground surveys to visually locate the wreckage. In many
cases they are the first to discover where a plane has gone
down and whether there are survivors.
They also provided the first aerial pictures of the world trade
center after the initial attacks and are being integrated into
the homeland security system. Their national webpage is http://cap.gov/
Airlines
Each airline has its own crisis communication plan. If you
have an airline headquartered in your city, it's worth meeting
with the public affairs staff to discuss their plan. But remember,
airlines, airports and any emergency responders must follow
NTSB directives during the investigation. Often this restricts
both the release of certain information and access to certain
sites.
In general, airlines and airports follow NTSB guidance that
whatever information is public before an accident is public
after an accident. For instance, an airline or airport will
provide the flight number, the origin and destination of the
flight, the type of aircraft, and the time and location of the
accident.
Airlines will usually send a team of their employees to
the site of the accident or to the nearest airport or hotel
to assist those involved in the accident and their family and
friends. The airline may also set up a location for media briefings,
either at their headquarters or near the accident scene. The
airline team coordinates with the NTSB.
Airports
Even if a crash happens nowhere near an airport,
the origin and destination airports become a focus of attention.
Often family members and friends are either waiting to meet
the plane or return to the airport after hearing about the accident.
Airline employees are usually the first people who come in contact
with family and friends seeking information. The airport may
be asked to find a location for the family to gather, out of
public view, to await information. Once the NTSB is on the scene,
the role of the airport lessens.
Airports have regular disaster drills required
the by the Federal
Aviation Administration. The airport public affairs staff
uses these opportunities to examine their crisis communications
plan. Many airports have media guides which include a range
of useful information including facts and figures about the
airport, the layout of the airfield, contact phone numbers for
airlines and airport public affairs offices and guidance on
where the media should go to cover an incident at the airport.
One example is the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
media
guide.
