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    1. Education & Training

    LAWA Staff and Airport Police Train Together for Emergency Preparedness

    March 13, 2018
    Related To: Los Angeles World Airports
    LAWA
    Participants from LAWA Airport Operations, Maintenance Services Division, Information Technology & Management Group, Facilities Maintenance and Utilities Group, Public Relations Division, LAX Airport Police Division, and Los Angeles City Fire Department completed a five-day emergency preparedness course, which covered planning, logistics, operations, finance and more.
    Participants from LAWA Airport Operations, Maintenance Services Division, Information Technology & Management Group, Facilities Maintenance and Utilities Group, Public Relations Division, LAX Airport Police Division, and Los Angeles City Fire Department completed a five-day emergency preparedness course, which covered planning, logistics, operations, finance and more.

    Employees from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Van Nuys Airport (VNY) and first responders from the Airport Police Department (APD) and Los Angeles City Fire Department (LAFD) just returned from a one-week advanced emergency management training program designed to enhance inter-agency integration and operational efficiency in preparation for a possible emergency at LAX or VNY. The training is part of LAWA’s ongoing commitment to emergency preparedness and security innovation. It took place at Texas A&M's Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) in College Station, Texas, and was paid for through federal grant funding.

    “Emergency preparedness is one of the highest priorities at LAWA, and working together with the APD and LAFD is essential to resolving an airport-based incident in a safe and secure manner,” said Keith Wilschetz, LAWA’s deputy executive director for airport operations and emergency management. “Through this training, we’re giving our people the tools and building the skills they will need to meet the next emergency’s challenges. We want to thank the LAFD for participating with us, and especially TEEX, for their top-notch curriculum and energetic atmosphere.”

    The program brought together airport operations, airport external affairs staff and first responders working together to address multiple types of crises that could possibly happen in an airport environment, and is just one of many emergency preparedness measures that are held continuously inside and outside of LAWA airports.

    “Continued training and exercises are a critical part of any first responder’s background, but the TEEX curriculum gave us something unique, including a great environment where participants could apply what they know in a collaborative and engaging environment,” said chief of LAWA’s Airport Police Division David L. Maggard, Jr. “We’re one piece of a very important plan that involves agencies, from the local to federal level, that keep the airport safe, so collaborative training exercises like this are always an incredible opportunity for us to build those relationships.”

    The training exercises focused on enabling staff members from LAWA and first responders to work together to resolve mock crises that could happen in an airport environment. Staff from LAWA, which included personnel from APD, Airport Operations, Public Relations, Maintenance Services, Information Management and Technology, and Facilities Maintenance and Utilities divisions worked with first responders to exercise common tasks related to providing logistical, planning, accounting, operational and communications support during an incident. During these exercises, participants were also exposed to tasks beyond their normal roles which helped them develop an appreciation for tasks that are not part of their daily jobs, as well as insights on how each task is important in resolving an incident.

    The TEEX curriculum adheres to the National Incident Management System (NIMS), which is a comprehensive national approach to incident management that is applicable at all jurisdictional levels and across functional disciplines. NIMS is used by agencies to coordinate emergency response, as well as provide pre-event planning and resource provisioning ahead of major events.

    TEEX's training is part of the robust roster of emergency training conducted by LAWA, airport employees, and first responders operating on LAWA's airport campuses. LAWA routinely participates in "Trunk Top Training" exercises with its federal, state, county, and local partners, bringing together the agencies to conduct mock responses to possible threats, as well as training exercises hosted by other agencies throughout the year. In September 2016, LAWA began a pilot program to airport service workers, primarily those who directly interact with guests in the terminals, with emergency response training.

    The TEEX training program was paid for by a $150,000 Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) grant that was awarded to LAWA through its participation in the Los Angeles/Long Beach Urban Area Working Group and Approval Authority. This funding originates through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and flows through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Funds are administered at the regional level by the City of Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Public Safety.