VAN NUYS SAFETY AND SECURITY EVENT - LATEST EXAMPLE OF LAWA KEEPING AIRPORT EMPLOYEES PREPARED
(Los Angeles, California – April 26, 2017) Whether it is at large-scale exercises or events stressing individual preparedness, the Los Angeles World Airports is making sure employees at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Van Nuys Airport (VNY) are ready for any emergency.
On Tuesday, April 25, the Emergency Management Division, working with Van Nuys Airport staff, held a Safety, Security & Emergency Preparedness event. LAWA employees, elected officials, airport tenants, police and fire first responders, and local community stakeholders trained together to learn what to do and how to work together in an emergency and crisis situations.
Los Angeles City Council Member Nury Martinez (6th District) spoke to a crowd of nearly 200 airport stakeholders on the importance of collaboration.
“I am pleased to see that all the VNY stakeholders are working together to be stronger in the areas of safety, security and emergency preparedness,” Martinez said. “It really takes a team to keep our airports safe. You have my office’s commitment that safety and security will continue to be a top priority for us.”
Besides Tuesday’s event at VNY, LAWA’s Emergency Management Division helped organize a recent Federal Aviation Administration required tabletop exercise, and drew nearly 5,000 people for an Airport Employee Emergency Preparedness Expo at LAX.
“Van Nuys Airport has a strong culture of safety, security and preparedness due to events like this. Significant advancements have been made in the facilities and procedures that reflect the shared interest of LAWA and our partners for a safe and secure Van Nuys Airport ,” said LAWA Chief Executive Officer Deborah Flint. “The wide variety of programs offered by LAWA are designed to keep airport and tenant employees informed and also provides another avenue to improve the guest experience at our airports.”
From employees to tenants to federal partners, the division looks for ways to engage as many participants as possible and emphasize individual preparedness as well as organizational resiliency.
More than 150 people attended the April 5 tabletop exercise, which takes place in years that the FAA does not require a full-scale air exercise, which was held at LAX in 2016 and is scheduled to be held again in 2019.
The Airport Employee Emergency Preparedness Expo, led by Emergency Management staff and supported by numerous other divisions at LAWA, was held February 28-March 2 at LAX.The event featured information from up to 18 different city, county and non-governmental agencies as well as attendance from emergency supplies vendors.There were a variety of demonstrations each day and it reached the broadest audience ever for a LAWA Emergency Management event with close to 5,000 participants.It was attended by federal partners, city agencies, airlines, service providers and LAWA staff.
In addition to Tuesday’s event, the Emergency Management Division is updating Van Nuys Airport’s emergency procedures with Van Nuys staff. Dedicated to noncommercial air travel, VNY had over 220,000 operations in 2016. More than 100 businesses are located on the 730-acre airport, including four major fixed-base operators and numerous aviation service companies.
These events cap a busy six months for the Emergency Management Division, whose recent work has also included an LAX Family Assistance Support Functional Exercise, which was a collaborative effort led by LAWA Emergency Management, Airport Operations and the Airline Emergency Working Group focused on passenger gathering and reunification as part of family assistance after an aircraft incident. The division also organized an Autism Flight Experience, a collaborative effort between LAWA’s Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator’s Office and Air Nippon Airlines (ANA) that introduced dozens of families who have loved ones with autism to experience what it is like to travel through one of the busiest airports in the world.
About Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)
Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is the City of Los Angeles department that owns and operates Los Angeles International (LAX) and Van Nuys (VNY) general aviation airports, as well as aviation-related property in Palmdale. Both play an integral role in helping to meet the Southern California regional demand for passenger, cargo and general aviation service. Both airports make a distinct contribution to the strength of the system as it provides a high level of safety, security and service for its customers, communities and stakeholders.
As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Alternative formats in large print, braille, audio, and other forms (if possible) will be provided upon request.
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(Note: Photos from the event follow)
Airport Police Lt. Dennis Lau addresses aviation community during Tuesday’s Van Nuys Airport Safety, Security and Emergency Preparedness event.
Van Nuys Airport stakeholders and employees listen to a presentation during Tuesday’s event.
Two hundred LAWA Emergency Go Kits were distributed to attendees at Tuesday’s event at VNY.
Some of the items in the emergency kits include a flashlight, batteries, gloves, water, a whistle and a dust mask.
