Fri, Nov 05, 2010
NTSB Chair's Call Comes During International Safety
Seminar
NTSB Chair Deborah A.P. Hersman (pictured, right) says a
more formal process is needed worldwide to assist survivors and
family members of aviation accidents. Speaking at the 63rd annual
International Air Safety Seminar in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, she
announced the upcoming international family assistance conference
to be hosted by the NTSB in Washington, D.C., March 28 and 29 of
next year.
"I have been on-scene at approximately 20 major transportation
accidents, and I can tell you first-hand that having the family
assistance team on site is a great asset," Hersman said. "And,
based on conversations with colleagues from other transportation
safety organizations around the world, there is a growing need for
family assistance programs."
In her remarks, Hersman highlighted the passage, by Congress, of
the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act in 1996 which requires
airlines in the United States to have disaster contingency plans in
place so assistance can be deployed immediately after a tragedy
occurs. The Act also assigned the Safety Board the
responsibility to oversee the government's family assistance
efforts. To meet this need, the NTSB created a Transportation
Disaster Assistance (TDA) division and hired professionals from the
mental health and forensic pathology fields. TDA is
responsible for overseeing the four critical aspects of family
assistance: notification to families, dissemination of information
about the accident and investigation, victim recovery and
identification, and locating and returning personal effects.
"For more than 13 years, TDA has been directing family
assistance in the United State and our outstanding professionals
are prepared to handle almost any circumstance that arises,"
Hersman said. "This has taken time and a willingness to constantly
learn and refine our approach. Ultimately, we judge our success by
real, on the ground results."
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