OPARATION AIR BRIDGE
In April 1991 the Los Angeles City (CA) Fire Department participated with 15 other agencies in a mutual-aid disaster exercise involving the airlift of our Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Team, truck, and equipment from LAX Airport in Los Angeles to San Francisco, where we participated in Operation Air Bridge, a large multijurisdictional drill at Pier 32.
The exercise involved the rapid deployment of 16 USAR team members and equipment in response to a simulated mutual-aid request for specialized resources needed for structural collapse. The airlift was provided by the U.S. Coast Guard in a C-130 aircraft, and San Francisco Fire Department vans and the chief’s sedan brought the crew and equipment from San Francisco Airport to the drill site.
We staged the drill with the following objectives:
- To test and evaluate our capability to provide a USAR team and equipment for airlift transport.
- To evaluate our methods of packaging equipment for loading and transporting.
- To evaluate the value of airlift response in cooperation with federal agencies—-i.e., the IJ.S. Coast Guard.
- To increase intra-agency cooperation between fire departments, the State Office of Emergency Services (OHS), and the I S. Coast Guard.
- To evaluate team size, operational capability, and the FEMA USAR Task Force plan.
- To identify areas needing improvement and recommend action.
OPERATIONS
Planning. This stage involved determining the equipment to take and the team configuration that would be most effective.
Information from the LAFD, State OES, and FEMA’s National USAR program was used to develop the final plan. Close coordination was needed with the San Francisco Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard, as would be the case in a real response. Final approval for the flight came only days before the exercise, making it necessary for us to rush the final arrangements for equipment acquisition, packaging, and practice loading.
Equipment. We had planned to take our truck and trailer combination, both loaded with equipment, onto the aircraft. We found at the time of departure from LAX that the trailer was approximately four inches too high to fit into the C-130. The essential equipment was unloaded from the trailer and loaded into the truck. The truck rapidly was loaded into the aircraft and secured for flight within 20 minutes. A variety of tends and supplies was selected for the mission using the FEMA equipment list as a reference. A minimal number of containers were needed, since the tools were secured inside the vehicles. The medical equipment taken was for basic-life-support-level treatment. All team members were given a suggested list of items to take in a personal survival pack.
Personnel. The following team of 16 people was selected on the basis of training, expertise, and experience:
- one assistant chief (Training Division), who served as team leader.
- four captains—one each from the following divisions: Disaster Preparedness; Training; Bureau of Fire Suppression and Rescue; and paramedic, Quality Assurance.
- one apparatus operator, Bureau of Fire Suppression, HU27.
- four firefighter Ills—three from the Disaster Preparedness Division and one from the Bureau of Fire Suppression, HU27.
- two firefighter/paramedics, Quality Assurance.
- two paramedic Ills. Disaster Preparedness Division.
- one structural engineer, Building and Safety.
- one field supervisor, Bureau of Street Lighting.
The team configuration consisting of two six-person squads for search, rescue, and medical operations; two technical advisors; a staff officer; and a team leader would have provided a minimal capability at a rescue site. All team members were involved in the equipment demonstrations at the exercise as well as in the loading and unloading operations.
Prior to departure, all members were given written information on the exercise, equipment, and personnel and a FFMA USAR operational checklist for their positions. Checklists covered the positions of task force leader, rescue team manager, rescue squad officer, rescue specialist, medical specialist, technical search specialist, structures specialist, and heavy rigging and equipment specialist. We also developed a command kit consisting of various forms and check sheets and administrative supplies.
The team leader used the FHMA task force leader operational checklist as a guide for briefing the team prior to departure and debriefing at the conclusion of the mission.
Airlift. The U.S. Coast Guard crews were very professional and cooperative. Loading operations were completed rapidly, and we were allowed to fly with half-full fuel tanks and full air bottles. Our 16-person team and truck seemed to fill the aircraft, but there are many configurations available for passengers and equipment. Far protection is necessary in the 130 aircraft. This aircraft is very versatile and can carry 78 passengers with no cargo or 51 litter patients or a combination of passengers and cargo with a load capacity of 40,000 pounds. The flight time from LAX to San Francisco International was approximately one hour 15 minutes.
Drill site activities. On arrival at the drill site, we were given a position for our display and equipment demonstration and a drill communication radio frequency on the statewide mutual-aid communication system, the State White Net. Our equipment was displayed and explained to the firefighters, dignitaries, and news media. We demonstrated our rotary saw with diamond blade and exothermic torch. One of our squads was assigned to work on a hoseline operation as a part of a multiagency water-relay drill.
LESSONS LEARNED
Capability to provide a USAR team and equipment for airlift transport. We were able to make an effective USAR team and equipment available for rapid mobilization. Using packaged and cached equipment already in the vehicles increased our ability to respond rapidly. A team of 16 or a task force of 56 members could be assembled rapidly from on-duty personnel assigned to various parts of the department and other city departments without having a severe impact on our normal city response system.
Aircraft availability will be a key factor in our ability to make a rapid long-distance response. Cargo carrying aircraft and helicopters must be predesignated by responsible government agencies. We and the San Francisco lire Department determined that other specialized resources such as haz mat, ALS medical groups, water-supply apparatus, and chlorinator units also could be transported using this method.
Packaging and equipment loading. Fquipment packaging and loading requirements should conform to the C-130 aircraft, since this aircraft is versatile and the one most likely to be available for the mission. To facilitate loading operations, vehicle size and weight should be calculated to determine the combination of vehicles, equipment, and personnel that will fit into the aircraft.
Preloading the equipment into the vehicles instead of loading each container separately saved time. The equipment and supplies must be packaged safely in containers, and carrying straps for some of the equipment should be included.
A fully equipped truck and trailer can be loaded onto the aircraft and secured within approximately 30 minutes.
Effectiveness of airlift response. Preplanning and predesignating resources by participating agencies will make this method of response a very effective part of our statewide mutualaid system. Good communication and coordination will be needed to make it work, however.
Many factors must be considered in this type of operation, including aircraft availability, location of the emergency in relation to a landing area, ground transportation on arrival, weather conditions, and loading requirements.
Intra-agency cooperation. This exercise clearly increased the level of ; cooperation among the local, state, and federal government entities ini volved—the U S. Coast Guard, State j OES, San Francisco Fire Department, and Los Angeles City Fire Department.
Team size and operational capa bility. The team size and configuration would be effective for a USAR response mission. It provided for a | leader, staff assistant, technical adviI sors. and two rescue squads with I some capability for search, rescue, and medical operations. The team ; could operate at two locations or at a j single site and rotate for long-duration ! incidents. This team configuration | should be considered minimal for this | type of mission.
More equipment and supplies ! should be added for advanced lifesupport medical care, and logistical supplies should be adequate to maintain this type of operation properly for 72 hours. Also, squads operating at separate locations should have identical equipment.
The use of FEMA’s USAR task force position operational checklists proved very useful. Additional LAFD USAR forms also would be very effective for managing the operation.
Areas needing action. The Los Angeles City Fire Department determined that it should do the following:
- Modify the USAR trailer to fit into a 0130.
- Continue adding equipment to the USAR truck and trailer to reach ftill capability (search, rescue, medical, logistical).
- Obtain containers and equipment straps for supplies and equipment.
- Develop a standardized personal pack for each team member.
- Develop command/administrative kit and ICS/USAR forms.
- Evaluate various types of USAR response modules and other specialized resources for potential response.
- Continue expansion of the Los Angeles City USAR training program.
- Work with the U.S. Coast Guard and OES to continue preplanning for airlift operations.
- Plan and implement future exercises of this type using a variety of resources and aircraft.
- Continue developing and maintaining the capability to activate a state USAR task force or a FEMA USAR task force.
Experience with past disasters clearly has established the need for the rapid deployment of highlytrained personnel and specialized equipment into the disaster site to minimize losses. The effectiveness of these resources depends on command. coordination, communication, logistical support, and training.
Airlifting emergency personnel and equipment across a state or the country is a realistic option. We must continue to work with other agencies to develop this capability more fully.
