AIRPORT DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
IN A COMMUNITY CONTEXT
This study uses survey results from 37 U.S. airports and 12 emergency management agencies to examine
the current state of cooperation among airports and their emergency management agency (EMA) partners and suggests ways to
strengthen and develop existing bonds to ensure community preparedness along with the protection and promotion of both airport
operations and business continuity. Two very strong conclusions
emerge. First, U.S. airports have generally been aggressively planning for disasters beyond the traditional boundaries of
Part 139, either in advance of Advisory Circular 150/5200-31B or in anticipation of it. Second, based primarily on in-person
conversations with airport managers and EMA leaders, airport managers have a deep understanding and appreciation that good
working relationships with surrounding emergency management agencies are essential to airport preparedness. Airports’
needs for surge capacity during disaster response can be met through wise mutual aid agreements made effective through joint
training, drilling, and exercising.
The study documents and lists:
§ Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Airport Preparedness in a Community Context
§ Innovative Preparedness Measures
§
Characteristics
of Successful Airports in Terms of Emergency Preparedness & COOP
§
Areas needing further study.
Statistical analysis
found three factors that account for 79% of the total variance in the number of “Current Plans,” which refers
to plans not required by Part 139 but created within the past 12 months and exercised within the past 24 months. The first
factor was dominated by total operating budget, percent of international passengers, UASI code, and total passengers. The
second factor is a problematic measure of the professionalism of airport managers. The third factor is total freight. A multiple
linear regression using the three factors as independent variables and Current Plans as the dependent variable gave a strong
correlation just short of being significant at the 5% level. Emergency management budgets were not tested; those questionnaire
questions were too poorly worded to get consistent responses. Other tests showed that co-location of an Air National Guard
base at an airport did not affect Current Plans, but co-location of a CDC quarantine office promotes pandemic planning.
