Porterville Municipal Code Art. VIII Emergency

This article provides for the authority and designated responsibilities of individuals and agencies in the event of an airport emergency. Such emergencies would include fires of any type, aircraft emergencies or accident, or incident of personal injury. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

It shall be the responsibility of any person or airport tenant who observes or has knowledge of any type of airport emergency which has not, to their knowledge, been reported, to initiate a report as specified. Said report shall be accomplished by dialing 9-1-1 from any airport telephone or otherwise contacting the city police/fire department. The person shall then give the dispatcher all information which he has available. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

Upon receipt of notification of an airport emergency, the police/fire dispatcher shall activate the fire department and/or police department. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

All persons not responding to an airport emergency shall yield the right of way to emergency service personnel. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

Emergency service vehicles displaying proper red lights and other required markings shall have the right of way on all taxiways. When responding to an aircraft incident, all aircraft and other vehicles shall yield to said equipment. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

The airport speed limit requirements are waived for all emergency vehicles and authorized personnel responding to an airport emergency. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

Upon the arrival of the fire department and/or police department to an airport emergency, all other persons, including aircraft owners, operators, and interested parties shall remain clear of the area until the designated incident commander has determined that the accident scene is stabilized and safe for entry by airport personnel. The airport manager/airport operations supervisor shall then designate only those essential persons authorized to enter the accident scene. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

Immediately upon arrival at any airport emergency, the affected area shall come under the full control of the fire department and the designated incident commander. The incident commander shall control all access to and from the site, as well as all rescue, stabilization, and suppression efforts. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

It shall be the duty of the airport manager/airport operations supervisor to coordinate or even curtail any and all airport operations which may be in conflict with or endangered by an emergency situation. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

Aircraft accident scenes, as defined by FAR, fall within the jurisdiction of the FAA and its associated investigating bodies. All persons on or near a crash scene shall preserve any and all aircraft pieces, parts, papers, and other pertinent data and document their positions and content as additional aid to the appropriate investigating authority. Only those persons authorized by the incident commander or the airport manager/airport operations supervisor shall be on the accident scene or within two thousand feet (2,000') thereof. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

Any runway, taxiway, or other operating area of the airport which becomes the scene of an aircraft accident shall immediately be considered closed and unusable until determined otherwise by the airport manager/airport operations supervisor. The airport manager/airport operations supervisor shall provide for proper notification of closures and the coordination of air traffic so long as the closure remains in effect. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

No aircraft or parts thereof shall be removed from an accident scene until such removal has been authorized by the appropriate FAA/NTSB representative. Airport management may assist in securing proper removal authority; however, it shall be the ultimate responsibility of the aircraft owner to acquire the proper authorizations for removal, as specified by federal regulation. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

In the event an accident scene must be preserved for a prolonged period of time, the airport manager shall provide for adequate protection as may be necessary for such preservation. The charges for any such protection shall be borne by the aircraft owner. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

Any aircraft involved in an accident or incident on the airport shall bear the responsibility of the registered owner for its prompt and proper removal from the accident site. Said removal shall be accomplished only after proper authorization has been received as specified in section 4-8.65 of this article. The owner may engage local services at his option. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

In the case where an owner is unable to remove a disabled aircraft from an airport operating area, the airport manager/airport operations supervisor may at his discretion remove, or authorize the removal of said aircraft to the appropriate storage area. The charges for such removal shall be borne by the aircraft owner. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

In the event that airport management removes said aircraft or parts thereof from an accident site in order to facilitate airport operations, to the fullest extent permitted by law, all tenants and persons shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless airport management, its agents and employees from and against all claims, damages, losses and expenses attributed to bodily injury, sickness, disease or death, or injury to or destruction of tangible property including the loss of use resulting therefrom, regardless of whether or not it is caused in part by a party indemnified hereunder, and including, but not limited to, attorney fees, arising out of, resulting from, or in any manner related to any work performed or services provided in the course of such a removal. Said removal shall be done only after the proper authorization has been obtained from the FAA, and only if it is determined to be necessary to assist airport operation, or to protect the safety of the general public and users of the airport. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

Any aircraft involved in an accident or incident which is rendered disabled or unairworthy shall be parked or stored in an area designated by the airport manager/airport operations supervisor. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

The registered owner of any aircraft which requires special handling, parking or storage as a result of an accident, shall be responsible for any and all charges incurred as a result of such storage. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)

The airport manager/airport operations supervisor is hereby directed and authorized to close the airport, or portions thereof, or suspend operations related to the landing, takeoff, or taxiing of aircraft during any period in which he/she determines that such operations, or their continuance, would be hazardous. Causes for such closure could include, but would not be limited to, runway maintenance or repairs, runway obstacles, fire, aircraft or other accident. Any such closure shall be effective only during such time as there is placed at each end of each runway so closed, a letter "X", the arms of which are at least sixty feet (60') long and twenty feet (20') wide, and so colored as to contrast with the background or other surface. The airport manager/airport operations supervisor shall immediately notify the Rancho Murrieta flight service station and issue a notice to airmen (NOTAM), advising of the closure. Phone 1-800-992-7433. (Ord. 1652 § B, 4-20-2004)