information officer; installation commanders, airfield commanders, or both; and other personnel
designated by the installation commander. These designees may include explosive ordnance disposal
personnel if nuclear weapons, bombs, and ammunition are being carried aboard or will be unloaded
from the aircraft.
c. Emergency Communications System.
(1) Requirements. Suitable emergency communication facilities must be provided so those
personnel who must respond to a potential or actual aircraft mishap or OPSEC violation can be notified
rapidly.
(2) Communications system. The complete emergency communications system will consist of--
(a) Two-way radio communication between rescue aircraft, fire trucks, ambulance units, and
the communications control center or control tower.
(b) A communications control center for monitoring air-to-ground communications and
relaying transmissions to mobile units. The communications control center may be located in the
control tower or the fire station.
(c) Direct emergency wire intercommunication between the control tower, communications
control center, and fixed control stations for fire trucks, rescue aircraft, and ambulances.
(d) A secondary emergency telephone or similarly wired system, as required, between the
communications control center and essential, supporting, and related administrative activity groups (b
above). This system may operate through the regular telephone switchboard.
(3) Emergency observation. The air traffic controller observes aircraft movements on the
airfield and within the visible traffic pattern of the airfield. He will maintain radio contact with
approaching or departing aircraft and, normally, the controller is the first witness to an impending
emergency or mishap. When practical and physically possible and particularly during periods of heavy
flight traffic, fire fighters on alert within fire stations will observe flight activities in an effort to detect
an impending or actual emergency. Fire fighters dispatched on an "alert" assignment or to an actual
emergency will monitor the communications control center or air traffic control (ATC) tower, as
directed.
(4) Emergency crew alert. Class A airfields and towers whose flight activity loads justify special
crews and equipment will maintain an alert status during all scheduled periods of
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