DATE: 3/24/2014 

Dockets- Dockets OST 96-1960 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 Seventh Street S.W. Room PL 401 

Washington, DC 20590 

RE: Dynamic Airways 

701 N. Terminal Service Road 

Greensboro, NC 27409 

Effective 2/28/2014, (Airline), Inc. has entered into contract with Empathia, Inc. for provision of 

aviation disaster response and family assistance services. In the event of an aviation accident or 

incident, Empathia will provide the following services on behalf of Dynamic Airways: 

• Crisis Call Center Services 

• · Family Assistance Services 

• Assistance in establishing the JFSOC and Family Assistance Center 

·' . ~ 

.". Crisis s'upport for the employees of Dynamic Airways 

Empathia also provides training for (Airline) personnel on aviation disaster and family assistance 

issues. The document attached described how (Airline) will address the airline victim support tasks 

within the Federal Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Plan. 

Should you have questions, please feel free to contact me at , 

Sincerely, 

Rob Bunce /' 

Director, Safety and Security 

Dynamic Airways. 
DATE 

Plan for Addressing the Needs Of 

Victims, Family Members and Loved Ones 

Involved In an Aviation Disaster 

Name 

Rob Bunce 

Submitted -(3/24/20141 

Submitted to: 

The National Transportation Safety Board 

and 

The U.S. Department of Transportation 

By 

DynamicAitw'ays 

24 Hour Contact Information 

Title 

Director of Safety 

Office# Cell# 

1 of 7 
Dynamic Airways 's Plan to Address the Needs of Families of Passengers Involved in an Aircraft Accident 

CONTENT/ASSURANCE 

1) A plan for publicizing a reliable, toll-free telephone number and for 

providing staff to handle calls from families of the passengers 

,, 

2) A process for notifying families of the passengers, before proving any 

public notice of the names of the passengers, .... utilizing ... suitably 

trained individuals 

3) An assurance that the notice described in paragraph (2) will be provided to 

the family of a passenger as soon as the air carrier has verified that the 

passenger was aboard the aircraft (whether or not the names of all of the 

passengers have been verified) and, to the extent practicable, in person. 

Later amended to read: 

14) An assurance that, upon request of the family of a passenger, the air 

carrier will inform the family of whether the passenger's name appeared 

on a preliminary passenger manifest for the flight involved in the accident 

February 18, 2014 

DESCRIPTION 1 

Dynamic Airways has partnered with Empathia, Inc., whose 

trained mental health professionals will represent Dynamic 

Airways at the time of an accident; Empathia retains a 

dedicated toll-free number for Dynamic Airways and a Crisis 

Call Center will be operationally for Dynamic Airways to 

release its toll-free inquiry number via the media, within 1 .hour 

of accident notification. Some 100 + staff will process inquiry 

calls placed to this toll-free number. 

Empathia's Crisis Call Center staff is masters' and doctorate 

level mental health professionals with at least 5 years of 

professional experience post-master's degree. All have 

successfully completed a rigorous 6- hour training developed 

and conducted by Empathia, Inc., in which the role is 

performed and individual performance, evaluated. To 

maintain familiarity with this very specialized role, the Crisis 

Call Center staff must participate in at least 6 hours of 

recurrent training, exercises or drills annually. Crisis Call 

center staff are managed by individuals with more 10-25 

years of critical incident and disaster response experience. 

Dynamic Airways will securely transmit the preliminary 

manifest to Empathia for upload into its information system so 

that within one hour, Crisis Call Center staff may begin 

processing calls. Empathia staff deployed to Family 

Reception Centers at departure/connecting/destination 

airports will provide notifications in person. Notification begins 

with advising the family member that their loved one's name 

appears on a preliminary/unverified manifest (meaning he/she 

held a reservation for the flight), followed by an explanation of 

what happens next (boarding documents from departure station 

are collected and compared to preliminary list). Once the 

reconciliation process is completed and the carrier declares 

the manifest "confirmed", follow up calls to families with 

whom contact was made when only the preliminary list was 

available, are made. All notifications are date and time 

stamped within the information system. 

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CONTENT/ASSURANCE 

4) An assurance that the air carrier will provide to the Director of Family 

Support Services designated for the accident under section 1136(a)(1) of 

this title (NTSB Office of TDA) and to the organization designated for the 

accident under section 1136(a)(2) of this title [Red Cross] immediately upon 

request, a list (which is based on the best available information at the tie of 

the request) of the names of the passengers aboard the aircraft (whether 

or not such names have been verified), and will periodically update the list. 

' 

5) An assurance that the lamily of each passenger will be consulted about the 

disposition of all remains and personal effects of the passenger within 

control of the air carrier. 

6) An assurance that if requested by the family of a passenger, any 

possession of the passenger within control of the air carrier (regardless of its 

condition), will be returned to the family unless possession is needed for the 

accident investigation or any criminal investigation. 

7) An assurance that any unclaimed possession of a passenger within control 

of the air carrier will be retained by the air carrier for at least 18 months. 

8) An assurance that the family of each passenger will be consulted about 

construction by the air carrier of any monument to the passengers, 

including any inscription. 

9) An assurance that the treatment of families of nonrevenue passengers 

(and any other victim of the accident) will be the same as the treatment of the 

families of revenue passengers. 

DESCRIPTION --

Dynamic Airways will provide a copy of the passenger list 

to the NTSB at any time upon request. Staff within Dynamic 

Airways's headquarters-based Emergency Operations 

Center will clearly designate the list as "Preliminary/ 

Unverified" or "Confirmed". Pursuant to NTSB Guidance 

for Manifest Distribution Control, Dynamic Airways agrees 

that the NTSB Transportation Disaster Assistance division 

determine local, state and federal authorities to whom the 

manifest should be released, including the Red Cross. 

Dynamic Airways has partnered with BMS Global to ensure 

the proper retrieval and return of passengers' personal effects 

in the event of an accident. On-line catalogs are created and 

made available to passengers or family members so that 

associated and unassociated effects can be properly 

returned. 

Outside of the U.S., BMS can also provide equipment, 

materials and personnel to establish and staff on-site 

temporary mortuary services and will work with local and 

federal authorities as well as area funeral directors to 

repatriate human remains to victims' communities. 

Dynamic Airways and on its behalf, Empathia Family 

Assistance Specialists, will ensure that input from every 

passenger family is solicited, compiled and analyzed before 

such decisions are made. 

The families of all persons on board the affected aircraft 

(passengers and crew) as well as victims on the ground will be 

provided with the same type and scope of services including _ 

but not limited to: 

- A Crisis Call Center Specialist who will offer information, 

support and logistical assistance for travel to the accident city; 

- A Family Assistance Specialist who will serve as a primary 

point of contact and source of assistance while the family is at -

the FAC or provide same services in families' home towns; 

- Logistical support including transportation, lodging, security, 

communications and incidentals for the first several days post 

accident. 

February 18, 2014 3 of 6 
CONTENT/ASSURANCE 

1 O) An assurance that the air carrier will work with any organization 

designated under section 1136(a)(2) of this title on an ongoing basis to 

ensure that families of passengers receive an appropriate level of services 

and assistance following each accident. 

11) An assurance that the air carrier will provide reasonable compensation 

to any organization designated under section 1136 (a) (2) of this title for 

services provided by the organization. 

,, 

12) An assurance that the air carrier will assist the family of a passenger in 

traveling to the location of the accident and provide for the physical care of 

the family while the family is staying at such location. 

February 18, 2014 

, '. 

,~·,-~:· 

DESCRIPTION,''}: 

Dynamic Airways will work with the Red Cross in planning 

and coordinating childcare, mental health support, spiritual 

care and an interdenominational memorial service. 

Representing Dynamic Airways, Empathia will assign 

trained responders as Call Center and Family Assistance 

Center Specialists for each passenger/ crew/ ground victim 

family. Upon conclusion of the days at the FAC, Empathia 

will work directly with the Red Cross on Dynamic Airways's 

behalf, to ensure that each family is provided with 

information and referral to additional support services within 

their home communities. 

Should an accident occur, establishing a dedicated cost 

center will help ensure that all accident-related costs are 

appropriately tracked. Coordinating with its insurers and with 

proper documentation, Dynamic Airways will reimburse all 

vendors and providers for services rendered. 

Working directly with family members and representing 

Dynamic Airways , Empathia Call Center Specialists assess 

family members' travel preferences (when, how, willingness to 

travel on affected carrier, etc) and submit travel requests to a 

large 24/7 American Express Travel organization. The Call 

Center Specialist remains the family's point of contact and 

will ensure that the final reservation meets their needs and 

preferences. A notation that this is an accident family 

traveling to site is placed in each record; station agents and · 

crew along the path of travel will be apprised and asked to 

provide extra care for these individuals. An escort for the 

entire travel route can be arranged if desired. 

Dynamic Airways will be responsible for all costs associated 

with travel as well as families' accommodations, ground stay 

at the Family Assistance Center (FAC). Carrier Family 

Assistance staff will be provided with funds to procure items · 

for individual family members need, such as medications, 

clothing, toiletries, child care items, etc. 

4 of6 
CONTENT/ASSURANCE 

13) An assurance that the air carrier will commit sufficient resources to carry 

out the plan. 

" 

14) See Assurance# 3 regarding notification process 

15) An assurance that the air carrier will provide adequate training to the 

employees and agents of the carrier to meet the needs of survivors and 

family members following an accident. 

16) An assurance that the air carrier, in the event that the air carrier 

volunteers assistance to United Statues citizens within the United States, 

with respect to an aircraft accident outside the United States involving 

major loss of life, the air carrier will consult with the Board (NTSB) and 

the Department of State on the provision of assistance. 

February 18, 2014 

DESCRIPTION 

Dynamic Airways recognizes that expenditures associated 

with an aircraft accident will be immense. It also understands 

that families' opinions of the carrier will largely be based on 

their perceptions --- of how: 

- quickly information is provided 

- genuine and compassionate Dynamic Airways is 

- organized the response effort 

- well the carrier is addressing their needs 

Empathia's network of more than 14,000 responders ensures 

sufficient staffing world-wide. Dynamic Airways and its 

insurers also commit immediate financial resources to ensure 

that families' needs are met. 

In addition to providing initial and re-current training for 

Dynamic Airways reservation, headquarters-based 

Emergency Operations Center and FAG-based team 

members, Empathia maintains a cadre of more than 5000 

responders who have unique experience in communicating 

with persons in crisis, understanding the effects of trauma 

and responding to critical incidents and mass casualty events. 

This unmatched level of preparedness will allow Empathia 

responders to provide information, notification and support to 

families who may gather at airports rather than asking 

Dynamic Airways staff or ground handlers to perform these 

tasks. 

Dynamic Airways clearly recognizes the benefit in 

coordinating family assistance efforts with the NTSB and the 

Department of State and would consult with both agencies 

should this situation ever arise. 

5 of6 
CONTENT/ASSURANCE DESCRIPTION'' 

17) An assurance that, in the case of an accident that results in significant Dynamic Airways acknowledges that any accident involving 

damage to a manmade structure or other property on the ground that is an aircraft impacting ground property, insurers and legal 

not government-owned, the air carrier will promptly provide notice, in consultants will coordinate outreach to property owners and 

writing, to the extent practicable, directly to the owner of the structure or on Dynamic Airway's behalf, Empathia will provide support 

other property about liability for any property damage and means for and assistance to victims and victim families. 

obtaining compensation. 

18) An assurance that, in the case of an accident in which the NTSB 

conducts a public hearing or comparable proceeding at a location Through its partnership with BMS Global, Dynamic Airways 

greater than 80 miles from the accident site, the air carrier will ensure will have access to the equipment and professional expertise 

that the proceeding is made available simultaneously by electronic required to establish and staff viewing sites as described. 

means at a location open to the public at both the origin city and Empathia responders may also be asked to stand by at each 

destination city of the air carrier's flight, if that city is located in the location in order to offer support to families as they view these 

United States. proceedings. 

February 18, 2014 6 of6