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February 28, 2014

Seaborne Airlines

1210 Watergut

Christiansted, VI 00820

Dockets- Dockets OST 96-1960

U,S, Department of Transportation

400 Seventh Street SW, Room PL 401

Washington, DC 20590

RE: Seaborne Airlines

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Effective October 1, 2013, Seaborne Airlines 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 Seaborne Airlines:

• Crisis Call Center Services

• Family Assistance Services

• Assistance in establishing the JFSOC and Family Assistance Center

• Crisis Support for the employees of Seaborne Airlines

Empathia also provides training for Seaborne Airlines personnel on aviation disaster and family

assistance issues, The document attached described how Seaborne Airlines will address the airline

victim support tasks within the Federal Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Plan,

~hould you ha~e questions, please feel free to contact me at

Sl~~

Dani J, Auslander

Director of Safety and Regulatory Compliance

Seaborne Airlines
DATE

Plan for Addressing the Needs Of

Victims, Family Members and Loved Ones

Involved In an Aviation Disaster

Submitted February 28,2014

Submitted to:

The National Transportation Safety Board

and

The U.S. Department of Transportation

By

Seaborne Airlines

24 Hour Contact Infonnation

Name Title Office # Cell #

.- I

Dani J. Auslander Director of Safety

Courtney Hentz Security Coordinator

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Seaborne Airlines' Plan to Address the Needs of Families of Passengers Involved in an Aircraft Accident

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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

Seaborne Airlines has partnered with Empathia, Inc., whose

trained mental health professionals will represent Seaborne

Airlines at the time of an accident; Empathia retains a

dedicated toll-free number for Seaborne Airlines and a Crisis

Call Center will be operationally for Seaborne Airlines 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.

Seaborne Airlines 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 reservationfor the flight),followed by an explanation of

what happens next (boardingdocuments from departure station

are collected and comparedto 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 svstem.

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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 family 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.

February 18, 2014

Seaborne Airlines will provide a copy of the passenger list

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

Airlines' headquarters-based Emergency Operations Center

will clearly designate the list as "Preliminary! Unverified" or

"Confirmed". Pursuant to NTSB Guidance

for Manifest Distribution Control, Seaborne Airlines 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.

Seaborne Airlines 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.

Seaborne Airlines 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 logisticalassistancefor travel to the accident city;

A Family Assistance Specialist who will serve as a primary

point of contact and sourceof assistance while the family is at

the FAC or provide same services infamilies' home towns;

Logistical support includingtransportation, lodging, security,

communicationsand incidentalsfor the first several days post

accident.

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CONTENT/ASSURANCE

10) 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

Seaborne Airlines will work with the Red Cross in planning

and coordinating childcare, mental health support, spiritual

care and an interdenominational memorial service.

Representing Seaborne Airlines, Empathia will assign

trained responders as Call Center and Family Assistance

Center Specialists for each passenger/ crewl ground victim

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

will work directly with the Red Cross on Seaborne Airlines'

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, Seaborne Airlines will reimburse all

vendors and pro\~ders for services rendered.

Working directly with family members and representing

Seaborne Airlines, 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 24n 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.

Seaborne Airlines 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.

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CONTENT/ASSURANCE ; DESCRIPTION

13) An assurance that the air carrier will commit sufficient resources to carry Seaborne Airlines recognizes that expenditures associated

out the plan. 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 Seaborne Airlines 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. Seaborne Airlines and its

insurers also commit immediate financial resources to ensure

that families' needs are met.

14) See Assurance # 3 regarding notification process

15) An assurance that the air carrier will provide adequate training to the In addition to providing initial and re-current training for

employees and agents of the carrier to meet the needs of survivors and Seaborne Airlines reservation, headquarters-based

family members following an accident. 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

Seaborne Airlines staff or ground handlers to perform these

tasks.

16) An assurance that the air carrier, in the event that the air carrier Seaborne Airlines clearly recognizes the benefit in

volunteers assistance to United Statues citizens within the United States, coordinating family assistance efforts with the NTSB and the

with respect to an aircraft accident outside the United States involving Department of State and would consult with both agencies

major loss of life, the air carrier will consult with the Board (NTSB) and should this situation ever arise.

the Department of State on the orovision of assistance.

February 18, 2014 50f6
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. CONTENT/ASSURANCE DESCRIPTION

.._- 17) An assurance that, in the case of an accident that results in significant Seaborne Airlines 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 Seaborne Airlines' 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, Seaborne Airlines

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 eech

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 6 016