Date: 202110
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZJX.ARTCC, FL
Flight conditions: Marginal
Weather elements / visibility: Thunderstorm
Aircraft: Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight plan: IFR
ATC / advisory: Center ZJX
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Enroute
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Physiological - Other; Fatigue; Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure; Workload
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence; No Specific Anomaly Occurred Unwanted Situation
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: Other During Workshift
Result: General None Reported / Taken
Contributing factors: Staffing; Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related; Weather; Company Policy
Primary problem: Company Policy

Narrative: We had been working red sectors since I had arrived at XA:30. All Controllers were plugged in much of the day and only time we were able to regroup were when things reached a level of chaos with frequency congestion and aircraft getting too close on a routine basis that we began refusing handoffs. As soon as we got things under control the volume steadily rose again with no intrail assistance until we had to refuse hand offs from adjacent sectors and facilities once again to manage the traffic and frequencies. By this point many people were at the ends of their shifts and a few that had numerous concerning situations and were unable to return to the operation due to overwhelming stress as a result from failure of Facility Management; Traffic Management and Command Center Operations to provide us with even a chance of maintaining a safe sector of airspace that we were responsible for. As staffing overlap ended and traffic volume did not. We once again were all plugged in with only one D Side only Controller to assist at any sector. This person ultimately reached 10 hours as well. At this point all Controllers were plugged in without any help available approaching egregious on position time. The Supervisor told me that the list was not accurate due to all the restrictions that were out and wanted to combine 86 with 16. I told the Supervisor that if the URET (User Request Evaluation Tool) was wrong and numbers would not overload the sector with the weather that was requiring deviations then I would work it. The sectors were combined and very shortly after I realized that the traffic was not slow enough to manage the two frequencies with deviation request and constant route amendments from poor flight plan routes for the amount of aircraft at a constant steady pace. My concentration at this point is failing; my cognitive abilities had been abused for too long and my speed to perform routine task were approaching complete stall. I believe the 86 Controller was even pulled to assist another Controller at that point. I was too busy trying to focus on my sector to know what was happening elsewhere in the area. Staffing at the facility is not sufficient to handle massive shifts in traffic flow during weather events. The nature of ZJX airspace with military airspace constrictions accompanied by weather cannot maintain an overall facility flow rate through 1/3 of the airspace without some help. We are taught to split sectors that are showing red 100 rate for a sector weather it is showing for 1 minute or steady. No matter what you split the sector for precaution. Why is traffic flow not treated the same way in a region known for severe storms and literal squeeze of airspace. Also TMU cannot just allow aircraft off without proper routings; this caused a massive increase of workload fixing routes that were inconsistent and completely ignored SOP. The pilots were constantly questioning their routes and requesting different ones because they did not think the routes were necessary or make sense. This only causes frequency issues and coordination requirements increasing workload even more. Also when such major shifts occur in traffic there has to be assistance. If we are required to provide spacing to O'hare in Florida to ZTL then other facilities can provide in trail to ZJX on aircraft landing in Florida. Management and Command Center needs to take flow restrictions more seriously when ZJX requests them.




Synopsis: ZJX Center Controller reported insufficient ATC staffing and lack of sector flow management initiatives despite requests from Controllers resulting in sectors overloaded with traffic; frequency congestion; and Controllers refusing to take handoffs. The reporter was unable to concentrate and lost ability to perform required tasks. Other Controllers could not return to the work area after breaks due to undue stress.