Cabin Operations Flight Operations Briefing Notes Planned Ground Evacuation Flight Operations Briefing Notes Cabin Operations Planned Ground Evacuation I Introduction A planned ground evacuation can be defined as an evacuation that enables the cabin crew to review procedures, and to inform and prepare passengers for an emergency landing. The cabin crew provide passengers with brace instructions, guidance on exit usage, and information on how and when exits should be operated. Effective communication between the crewmembers and the passengers is necessary for a timely, effective, and orderly response. II Background Information A safety study by the US NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) in 2000, entitled “Emergency Evacuation of Commercial Airplanes”, cites examples of planned evacuations where the cabin crewmembers were able to provide passengers with a detailed briefing. The cabin preparation and briefing resulted in an orderly, timely evacuation with few to no injuries. III Emergency Checklist Emergency checklists are useful tools that enable cabin crew to prepare the cabin for a planned emergency. It contains all the steps required to prepare the cabin for an emergency, and lists the steps to be completed in order of priority. Many Operators have developed checklists in the form of laminated cards that are distributed to each cabin crew, or are stowed near the cabin crew’s seats. These types of checklists should be readily accessible to the cabin crew. Page 1 of 12 Cabin Operations Flight Operations Briefing Notes Planned Ground Evacuation Emergency checklists are designed to provide support to cabin crewmembers in a planned emergency, and to help them complete all the necessary steps without forgetting anything. Emergency checklists should be short and consistent. IV Emergency Checklist Contents The Brace Position The brace position is essential when preparing passengers in an emergency landing. Reviewing the brace position during the emergency passenger briefing will help to ensure that passengers are in the correct brace position for landing. The brace position has a dual function: First of all, it reduces body flailing, as passengers must lean or bend over their legs. Secondly, it protects passengers from hitting their head on a hard surface. This position must be adapted if the seat is: • Facing a seat back or a bulkhead • Forward facing or aft-facing with a safety belt and a shoulder harness (crewmember seats only). It must also be adapted if passengers are pregnant, traveling with infants or obese. • Forward facing seat • Forward facing seat • Safety belt only • Safety belt only • High density seating • High density seating • Adult holding infant • Against seat and against seat with break over feature • Forward facing seat • Aft facing seat • Safety belt a nd • Safety belt and shoulder harness shoulder harness Source: Transportation Safety Board of Canada, Aviation Advisory Circular, AC0155 Figure 1 Examples of Passenger Brace Positions and Cabin Crew Brace Positions Page 2 of 12 Cabin Operations Flight Operations Briefing Notes Planned Ground Evacuation It must be emphasized to passengers that they should expect more than one impact. Passengers must remain in the brace position until the aircraft comes until a complete stop. Once the brace position has been explained, the next step is to inform the passengers when to assume the brace position, for example: “When you hear the cabin crew shouting “Brace, Brace, Brace”, this will be your signal to take the brace position, you must remain in this position until the aircraft has come to a complete stop”. Emergency Exit Location The cabin crew must indicate the location of the nearest emergency exits and the floor proximity exit path lighting to the passengers. Loose Items All loose items must be removed, and secured, because they can be projected into the cabin during landing, cause injury or may impede access to exits. Items to be stowed and secured include: • Carry-on baggage • Handbags • Laptops • Briefcases. All of these items must be placed in an overhead bin, closet or under a seat. High-heeled shoes and sharp objects must also be removed, because these objects can cause damage to the slide during an evacuation. In addition, these objects must not be stowed in seat pockets, since they may injure passengers when they take the brace position. Seat pockets should only be used to stow small objects, such as pens and eyeglasses. Cabin crews should also remove items such as pens, badges and wing pins from their uniforms. Able-Bodied Passengers (ABPs) The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) defines able-bodied passengers (ABPs) as “passengers selected by crewmembers to assist in managing emergency situations if and as required”. The selection of ABPs is based on their ability to understand instructions, their physical ability, and their ability to stay calm. The ideal candidates are people such as: • Deadheading crewmembers Page 3 of 12 Cabin Operations Flight Operations Briefing Notes Planned Ground Evacuation • Military personnel • Police • Fire personnel • Medical personnel • People who respond well to instructions. The cabin crew must not select family members traveling together to be ABPs, because they will naturally prefer to assist their family members before the other passengers. Instead, the cabin crew should select passengers who are traveling alone to be ABPs. Ideally, the cabin crew should select 3 ABPs at each exit. One of the ABPs should be briefed on the following: • How to replace the cabin crewmembers in case they become incapacitated. However, the cabin crew must emphasize that ABPs will replace cabin crewmembers only if they are not able perform their function due to incapacitation • How to assess conditions outside the aircraft, for example, how to identify that an exit is usable/no longer usable • How to open the exit • How to protect oneself from going overboard, to remain in the assist space and to hold on to the frame assist handle • Commands to be used during evacuation: i.e. “Jump and slide” • How to open the crewmembers’ seatbelt: The crew harness buckle is different from passengers’ seat buckles, and a cabin crewmember who is incapacitated in a crew seat may block a usable exit. The two other ABPs should be briefed on how to assist the cabin crew during the evacuation, such as by: • Holding passengers back during door opening and slide inflation • Remaining at the bottom of the slide during the evacuation to assist other passengers. The cabin crew should brief the ABPs seated at overwing exits on the following: • How to assess the outside conditions • When to open the exit • How to open the exit • Commands to be used: i.e. “Come this way”, “Step out”, “Follow the arrows”, “Run and slide” • How to redirect passengers if an exit is no longer usable or blocked. Page 4 of 12 Cabin Operations Flight Operations Briefing Notes Planned Ground Evacuation ABPs should is also be assigned to assist special needs passengers, such as: • Passengers with reduced mobility • The elderly • Unaccompanied minors • People traveling alone with more than one child. Securing the Cabin When the passenger briefings have been completed, the cabin crew must perform the final cabin secure check, in order to ensure that: • Seat belts are fastened • Seat backs are in the upright position • Tray tables are closed and latched • Armrests are down • Carry-on baggage is stowed and secure • Overhead bins are closed and latched • Exits and aisles are clear of all obstructions • Service items are cleared • Cabin dividers are open. The lavatories should be vacated and locked, and the galley equipment should be secured by: • Closing and locking all containers • Ensuring that carts are correctly stowed and secured • Switching off all galley power, and pulling all galley circuit breakers. When the emergency checklist has been completed, the Purser will notify the flight crew that the cabin is secured. The Purser will also ask for an update of the situation, and the amount of time remaining. At this point in time, the cabin crewmembers should: • Take their seats • Adjust the seat harness • Begin a silent review • Be prepared to brace when the command comes from the flight crew. Page 5 of 12 Cabin Operations Flight Operations Briefing Notes Planned Ground Evacuation V Operational Standards for a Planned Ground Evacuation Planned Ground Evacuation Briefing In any type of unusual, abnormal or emergency situation, crew communication and co-ordination play a vital role. It is important that information is shared amongst the entire crew. Successful evacuations are dependent on effective communication among the flight crew, the cabin crew and the passengers. It is important for Operators to establish procedures in order to ensure that adequate guidance is provided to both flight crews and cabin crews on how to conduct abnormal and emergency briefings. For example, if the flight crew needs to inform the cabin crew of an emergency, there may be a specific signal to alert the cabin, such as: • A series of chimes • A specific phrase: i.e. “Purser to cockpit”. These specific actions alert the other crewmembers that there is an emergency situation. When the cabin crewmembers hear the signal, this indicates that an emergency situation exists, and that they must start to secure equipment. Cabin crewmembers should be ready, at their stations, to be briefed by the Purser via the interphone. The Flight Crew to Purser Briefing The flight crew should brief the Purser in a clear, precise and concise manner. The briefing should provide the Purser with the following information: • Nature of emergency (landing or ditching) • Time available to prepare the cabin (the cabin and flight crew should synchronize watches to assist with time management) • What the brace signal will be • Signal to remain seated (if no evacuation is required) • Special instructions/other information • Who will inform the passengers and when (flight crew or Purser). The Purser to Cabin Crew Briefing The Purser must take note of the time in order to manage the time available for the emergency briefing.