Human Continuity through Crises in Aviation

Abstract

Highly-trained employees are essential to airports and aviation organizations. It is very important for managers as well as peers to recognize post traumatic stress reactions or symptoms that employees may display when they have attended to a natural or manmade disaster. This research project has identified and documented that many organizations practice the first-response activities associated with a traumatic event, but engage in little or no training for the recovery phase of the event/incident, which may last a long period of time. The research has identified many strategies which should edify and augment a mental health recovery plan (MHRP) so that an employees’ natural resiliency is enhanced, or those that are unable to return to normal function can be identified and receive the necessary mental health attention. The entire research project was funded by the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) as part of the National Academies.