In order to provide a more effective response to an airplane disaster such as TWA Flight 800, the airline industry might adopt some of the lessons learned by the nuclear power industry from the accident at Three Mile Island in 1978. Granted that there is a huge difference between the tragic loss of 230 human lives in the TWA accident and the Three Mile Island accident, in which no fatalities occurred. There are, however, several commonalities that deserve serious consideration.
– The need for a single authoritative voice to provide information regarding the accident. This person/office would be the sole source of factual information.
– A coordinated response to the accident, with one single agency in charge. A suitable response may involve many federal, state and local entities, but one single agency must clearly be the lead agency.
– Third: An emergency plan or plans must be developed. Development should include input from all of the agencies that would play an actual role in a response, clearly defining the role of each one, and again, which one is in charge and under what circumstances.
– Add professional counselors for survivors and for the non-survivors’ families in addition to the rescue, law enforcement and medical specialist team members.
