ERA LEADS THE WAY ON CRISIS PLANNING ACTIVITY

9/10/2008

The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) is stepping up its crisis management activities by publishing a revised Emergency Planning Handbook as part of a series of initiatives to support airlines making important investments in crisis planning.

Launched today at the Association’s Contingency Planning Workshop in Manchester, UK, the Handbook is sponsored by worldwide disaster management experts, Kenyon International, whose CEO Robert Jensen co-chaired the Workshop.

“Safety in our industry improves everyday,” said Robert Jensen, Kenyon president and CEO, “but accidents are still a fact of life. ERA should be commended for recognizing this reality by adopting and building on the Emergency Response Preparedness Standards (ERPS). This is a milestone for the industry, and through their action, ERA has better prepared its members to compassionately and professionally respond to a loss, protecting their business and taking care of its passengers.”

Designed to act as an aide-memoire for developing new or existing crisis planning procedures, the Handbook builds on ERA’s ERPS which were launched at the 2007 ERA General Assembly in Athens. It is an initiative that was submitted to, and supported by, the European Commission’s Director DGTREN, Daniel Calleja-Crespo as an example of self-regulation by industry in this crucial area.

Both the Handbook and Contingency Planning Workshop are part of a series of initiatives to promote the importance of crisis planning and ensure this area does not become under-resourced and under-funded when budgets are tight. The Association has also set up an online Crisis Planning Help Centre for members and is considering the creation of a member Crisis Management Group.

ERA director general, Mike Ambrose, says: “A comprehensive emergency response plan is a priority, not an option, for all airlines and airports. The wide range of issues that need to be taken into account, and the essential cascade of sensitive information to a large number of staff and external organisations, can seem daunting. Focused advice from experienced experts in the field is invaluable for anyone establishing new procedures or revising existing ones”.

The Handbook is available free to ERA members and to non-members at a fee of £150 sterling. Further details are available at www.eraa.org/membership/CrisisHelpCentre/Index.php 

ENDS