Aug. 20--The Kerrville airport now has an emergency plan detailing how the management will respond in the event of an airplane crash, natural disaster, fire or other catastrophes.
Emergency plans are common in businesses and government agencies. Most, from the school districts to City Hall, have plans in place, some in multiple bound volumes, that describe how the agency will respond and who is responsible for what aspect of the response.
Airport board member Kirk Griffin worked with Airport Manger Bruce McKenzie to draft the 15-page document that will serve as the airport's emergency plan, which largely details who is in charge prior to emergency responders arriving and who is to be called in various scenarios.
"It's important to remember in these emergency plans this is how we at the airport handle these sort of things not how everyone in the community that is a part of this comes together to make this work," Griffin said.
One difference between the airport's plan and most other business and agencies' plans is that airports fall under the Federal Aviation Administration and, in Texas, small community airports are under the Texas Department of Public Safety.
For example, in the event of a crash at the airport, the Department of Public Safety and the National Transportation Safety Board are called, and DPS is automatically in charge when they arrive. Airports also fall under the authority of the Transportation Security Administration, which airport board member Ed Livermore said can raise concerns about how local authorities interact with federal agencies.
"What I've got in mind is what happens when a plane lands and suddenly TSA shows up with a bunch of guns," Livermore said.
The emergency plan was formally adopted Monday by the airport board, and Kerr County Commissioner Tom Moser said it should be included in the county's overall emergency plan.
In a separate matter, McKenzie updated board members on the process the airport has entered with the Texas Department of Transportation Aviation Division to build new T-hangars at the facility. The airport has advertised requests for qualifications from potential builders, and those proposals are due to the airport by Sept. 5.
The airport has been approved to receive up to $650,000 in federal funds to build up to 12 new T-hangars.
The board will formally receive the proposals on Sept. 16 and are expected to accept a contractor at that meeting to begin negotiations.
The next step for the airport board will be to seek approval from the Texas Transportation Commission on Sept. 26.
Copyright 2013 - Kerrville Daily Times, Texas
