STRATEGY FORMULATION FOR EFFECTIVE SEARCH AND RESCUE IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY

INTRODUCTION

In discussing strategy formulation for effective Search and Rescue (SAR) in the Aviation Industry, it is necessary to make some clarifications. Search and Rescue in the Aviation Industry implies Aeronautical Search and Rescue. There are two other arms of Search and Rescue (SAR), namely Maritime and Inland. These three arms of SAR are of equal and paramount importance because they are aimed at the ultimate goal of saving lives. Since lives are involved, then very high ethical and international standards must also apply in the conducts of SAR operations and management.

In the case of Aeronautical Search and Rescue, there is an agency of the United Nations known as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), that is charged with the responsibility of regulating and setting international standards as well as recommended practices guiding Civil Aviation World-wide. Nigeria, therefore, as a contracting State of ICAO is obligated, and has accepted, to implement these Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS) on Search and Rescue as contained specific ICAO documents. These documents include Annex 12 to the convention on International Civil Aviation, Search and Rescue Manual (DOC 7333) and the African and Indian Ocean (API) Regional Air Navigation Plan (DOC 7474). In Nigeria, the body responsible for regulating Civil Aviation practice is the Nigerian Civi1 Aviation authority (NCAA), while the agency responsible for the activation, direction and co-ordination of aeronautical SAR operations is the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

2.         DEFINITIONS

a. Search and Rescue:

Comprise the search for and the provision of aid to persons who are, or are feared to be, in need of assistance and the search for and protections of "search" and "rescue" may take many forms, depending on whether they are both required or not, the size or complexity of the operation and the capability and specialization of available staff, equipment and facilities.

b. Emergency Phase:   

A generic term, meaning as the case may be, uncertainty phase, alert phase or distress phase or distress phase.

c. Uncertainty Phase: 

A situation wherein uncertainty exists as to the safety of an aircraft and its   occupants.

d. Alert Phase:  

A situation wherein apprehension exists as to the safety of an aircraft and occupants.

e. Distress Phase:

A situation wherein there is a reasonable certainly that an aircraft and its occupants are threatened by grave and imminent danger or require immediate assistance.

f. Ditching:   

The forced landing of an aircraft on water.

g. Alerting Post:  

A unit designated to receive information from the general public regarding aircraft in emergency and to forward the information to the associated rescue co-ordination centre.

h. Rescue Coordination

Centre: A unit responsible for promoting efficient organisation of search and rescue service and for coordinating the conduct of search and rescue operations within a search and rescue region,

i. Rescue Sub-Centre: A unit

Subordinate to a rescue co­ordination centre, established to complement the later within a specified portion of a search and rescue region.

j. Search and Rescue

Region: An area of defined dimensions within which search and rescue service is provided.

k. Search and Rescue Service

Unit: a generic term, meaning as the case may be, rescue co-ordination centre, rescue sub-centre or alerting post.

l. Rescue Unit:  

A   unit composed of trained personnel and provided with equipment suitable for the expeditious conduct of search and rescue.

m. Search and Rescue Aircraft: An aircraft provided with specialised equipment suitable for the efficient conduct of search and rescue missions.

3.          ORGANISATION

The Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, through its Directorate of Air Traffic Services, as earlier mentioned, is responsible for providing aeronautical search and rescue service in Nigeria. It has an organisation that activates, directs and co-ordinates activities, in the event of an emergency, to ensure the provision of effective, efficient and pro-active search and rescue services.

Then Nigerian airspace has been divided into two Search and Rescue Regions (SRR's) - namely Kano SRR, consisting of the northern half of the country's airspace; and Lagos SRR, made up of the southern half. Two Rescue Co-ordination Centres (RCC's), adjacent to the Air Traffic Control Centres (ATTC's) at Kano and Lagos Airports, respectively, are responsible for these two regions. Each is established within the two regions for the purpose of activating, directing and co­ordinating SAR operations. Each RCC has:

a. A detailed plan formulating the basis of aeronautical SAR operations.

b. Accommodation for centralising information, having rapid and reliable means of communications as well as briefing facilities.

c. Trained staff, capable of activating, directing and coordinating SAR operations.

d. Equipment for the efficient conduct of SAR operations.

Immediately sub-ordinate to the RCCs are six (6) Rescue Sub-centres (RSCs), with three (3) in each SRR. These sub-centres are located at Abuja, Maiduguri and Sokoto (under Kano RCC), and Enugu, Ilorin and Port Harcourt (under Lagos RCC). These sub-centres are located adjacent to the air Traffic services (ATS) units under NAMA in the aforementioned airports.

The last level of the organisation of aeronautical SAR is known as Alerting Posts, consisting of the following:-

a.      All other ATS units

b.      All NAF units

c.      All Naval units

d.      All Army units

e.      All Police units

f.       Telephone Exchanges

g.      Fire Stations

h.      Local Government Hqtrs.

i.        Coastal Radio Stations

j.        Other Corporate and Public Organisations.

4.          FUNCTIONS OF THE AERONAUTICAL SAR ORGANISATION

The aeronautical Search and Rescue Organisation as analysed above, under the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, has the following statutory function:-

·          Develops and issue National policy guidelines for aeronautical SAR operations.

·          Maintains and updates, from time to time, database of all available SAR equipment, including those that can be modified for SAR operations. Statistics must be known as to make, ownership, location, status, maintenance conditions, etc.

·          Audits, from time to time, the database through physical verifications to determine the status or condition of the equipment or facilities and ensure their availability in times of need.

·          Conducts local and National SAR exercise (SARESes), co-ordinates and faithfully implements them for maximum effectiveness and efficiency.

·          Identifies and designates RSCs, RSCs, Alerting Posts and other Rescue units.

·          Prepares and implements approved annual budgets for the SAREXes capital and recurrent expenses   in   respect   of the Aeronautical SAR Organisation.

·          Organises public enlightenment programmes to sensitise members of the public on their role in the event of an aircraft emergency.

·          Ensures that adequate aeronautical maps and charts are made available to the ATS units responsible for SAR operations.

·          Analyses and reports on SAR Ops, mobilises resources and manages such.

·          Delineates the country into Search and Rescue Regions (SRRs) or centres (RCCs), and sub-centre (RSCs) for the purposes of Aeronautical SAR Operations.

·          Designates Alerting Posts to which the general public can report any aircraft emergency.

·          Makes it mandatory for all aircraft operating within the Nigerian airspace to be equipped with emergency locator transmitter (ELT) equipment, capable of transmitting on both 406 and 121.5MHZ.

5.   EQUIPMENT AND FACILITES:

It is intended that the Search and Rescue services units in Nigeria should be fully equipped with the necessary hardware and facilities to be deployed in case of a search and rescue operation by air, land and sea.

The following are some of the standard equipment required for the Rescue Co-ordination centre:-

A.   Fluting Equipment:

i.     Plotting tables for Search planner, Rescue planner, Logistics planner,

ii.    Adjustable    stools    with specialist adviser back rest,

iii.   Navigational      electronic calculators

iv.   Sets of Navigation kits

v.    Special aircraft allocations dry marker white board (6”X6”)

vi. Black status board

vii. Writing desks with drawers (3¹/₂ X 2 '/₂)

viii. Padded chairs with arm rest

ix.   Filling cabinets

x.   Large quantities of navigational charts/maps - large scale: 1:500,000, 1:100,000

xi.  Magnetic compass and watch

xii. Large quantities of tracing paper and card board paper.

B.   Communications Equipment:

i.    VHP-based multi-frequency sets for air-ground communications

ii.   VHP walkie-talkies

iii. HP Multi-frequency mobile radio for use between SAR parties and the RCC

iv. A dedicated telephone / fax with IDD facility.

C.    Supplies and Survival Equipment:

i. Pyrotechnics,

ii. Flash lights,

iii. Large long-life dragon portable search lights

iv. Loud hailer - megaphones

v. High-powered pairs of binoculars

D.   Medical Equipment:

i.     Standard first - aid kits

ii.    Portable mass resuscitators complete    with    oxygen cylinders.

iii.   Body bags

E.   Miscellaneous Equipment:

i.    Crash helmets fitted with protective visors

ii.   Protective suits for tough material

iii. Rain coats and rain boots

iv. Tent

v.   Sleeping bags

vi. Blankets

vii. Camp beds

F.   Rescue Equipment:

i.    Portable cutting axes

ii.   Pairs of crampons

iii. Ropes and slings

iv. Rubber dinghies (for water areas)

v.   Cameras

vi. Computer for data storage

vii. Word-processing electronic spread   sheets   for   quick production of forms,

viii. Photocopy machine.

The requirements for the rescue sub-centres would be half of the basic standard equipment and for rescue units would be one quarter of the same equipment in terms of numbers as listed above.

In addition to the above equipment requirements, there is need to pool and share operational equipment that are available and owned by the following:

Public sector: Ministries, Parastatals and agencies.

The military: Strategic equipment and peripherals

Private sector: NGO, Corporate bodies and individuals, including oil and construction companies.

Close liaison must be maintained with such organisations to augment the SAR equipment requirements of the country, and periodic review and up-date of such available, functional equipment must be carried out. Also, a maintenance and replacement plan for all categories of available equipment must be put in place.

6.0         CO-OPERATION

6.1 As required by ICAO, Nigeria coordinates all her Search and Rescue operations with her neighbouring states, through her established RCCs of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, located at Kano and Lagos Airports.

6.2  Letters of agreement are to be signed by Nigeria with her neighbouring states of facilities the entry other's rescue units and territories      aircraft,   vessel, personnel, equipment and other facilities), as may be needed, may be requested from and granted to our neighbouring countries, like Niger,    Togo,    Benin,   Chad, Cameron, Ghana, etc.

6.3 It   is   envisaged   that arrangements would be made, under the present Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, for periodic liaison visits by our RCC and RSC personnel to their counterparts in neighbouring states. Additionally, arrangements are on hand for joint training exercise involving our search   and rescue unit, those of our   neighbouring   states   and operators in order to promote search and rescue efficiency.

6.4 Our search and rescue organisation co-operates fully with operators local services, and facilities, to enable them extend any possible assistance to the survivors of aircraft accidents.

6.5 Our   organisation co­operates    fully    with    those responsible for investigating aircraft accidents and those responsible for the care of those who suffer from such accidents.

6.6 The organisation reviews, publishes and disseminates all information necessary for the entry of rescue units of other states into Nigeria. On request, we make also make available, through our RCCs, or AIS (Aeronautical Information Service), information regarding our search   and   rescue   plans   of operation. Also, under the present Nigerian Airspace Management

Agency, we intend to disseminate to the general public directives on actions to taken when there is reason to believe that an aircraft is in emergency and in the event of an aircraft accident.

6.7 For the future, NAMA intends to subscribe to the satellite aided search and rescue (COSPAS/SARSAT) programmes, which is a model of international cooperation in expediting SAR efforts through the use of satellite. Distress information received from the space segment of COSPAS/SARSAT (system is relayed to mission, control centres (MCCs), which alert RCCs, which in turn, direct Rescue forces to the scene of the incident/accident.

7. TRAINING:

To achieve and maintain maximum efficiency in search and rescue, NAMA provides for regular training of its search and rescue personnel, in addition to arranging annual mock emergency and aircraft crash exercises.

8. REMOVAL OF WRECKAGE:

Wreckage that results from aircraft accidents within Kano and Lagos SRRs would normally be removed or obliterated following the completion of the accident investigation, or charted, so as to prevent subsequent confusion. In addition, NAMA is in the process of publishing a public enlightenment brochure requiring any person finding a wreckage of aircraft to notify it as soon as possible, detailing the procedure to follow to assist the aeronautical search and rescue organisation.

9. OPERATING PROCEDURES

9.1 Primary duty of Aeronautical SAR Organisation.

The -aeronautical     SAR organisation has the primary function of searching for, assisting, and rescuing survivors and wreckage of aircraft incidents, accidents or forced landings.

9.2 Outline of operating Procedures

There are many procedures put in place to activate, direct and co-ordinate SAR operation. In outline, an emergency/distress call may emanate from a member of the public who has witnessed an accident; an Air Traffic Controller (ATC), who has been informed by the Pilot of a distress situation, or even a family member, who may fear that an aircraft is missing. More often than not, it is the ATC who first becomes aware of an aeronautical or aviation incident or accident. Each ATC is trained to set in motion an action plan to cope with any phase of aircraft emergency, be it uncertainty, alert to distress.

This plan includes the activation of the local Airport emergency service, the mobilisation and staffing of the RCCs, RSCs, and RUS; the co-ordination of available resources to activate, and direct a SAR operation, and the notification of other relevant agencies.

In summary, the operating procedures and activities for the aeronautical SAR organisation are broadly described in the Manual of Search and Rescue - Nigeria, which constitutes the activation, direction and co-ordination of available resources in an effort to locate the scene of an incident/ accident, to provide assistance and rescue survivors and wreckage.