Xenophon Strategies

ATA Fuel Committee

Bridging Communication Gaps

Project linked airport fueling facilities to stakeholders.

Project Highlights

• Crisis communications plans
• Emergency response exercises
• 24-hour crisis support
• Industry outreach
• Supplementary crisis materials

Overview

On November 25, 1990, a fire erupted at a fuel storage and dispensing facility near Stapleton International Airport in Denver. The fire raged for more than 48 hours, destroying two fuel storage tanks and extensively damaging four others. Total damage was estimated at $20 million, and nearly 3 million gallons of jet fuel were lost or contaminated.

The success of the communications plans was confirmed through a series of emergency response exercises.

The fire drew extensive media coverage because it was very visual, and because of its impact on flights during the busiest travel day of the year – the Sunday following Thanksgiving. The incident exposed a major vulnerability in crisis communications planning at such facilities, which are typically owned by one entity and operated by another on behalf of a consortium of airlines. There was no existing plan that established lines of communication for the various organizations during a crisis – a problem that enabled incorrect and contradictory information to flourish.

Communications gaps were evident. Airport spokespeople, who were not necessarily knowledgeable about the operation of the fuel farm, were frequently quoted in the print media. The fuel farm operator, however, was rarely called upon to comment. Both airlines affected by the fire commented that, in retrospect, they should have sent a spokesperson to Denver, rather than run their media relations operations from a remote site. Having a representative on-site may have avoided any conflicts with the airport spokesperson who, at times, was in effect speaking on behalf of the airline owners and fuel facility operator. A coordinated and uniform message would have helped ensure that accurate information was provided and that criticism was effectively and efficiently diffused.

Assessing Industry Problem Areas

A May 2000 study by the Air Transport Association (ATA) found that airport fueling facilities are highly individualized – from variances in land ownership to airport relations to state and local regulatory requirements – resulting in no centralized responsibility for media relations. Fuel farm operators were required by federal, state and local law to have detailed disaster mitigation plans, but these plans are not required to address crisis communications or any type of media relations. Without planning, there is significant risk that negative or misreported media coverage could occur, even with speedy and thorough containment of a safety or environmental problem. The deficiencies were apparent. The challenge was in developing a project that supplemented existing plans and procedures while addressing the idiosyncrasies of each facility.

Devising a Comprehensive Project

Xenophon Strategies was awarded a contract by the ATA, which represents U.S. airlines, to develop a comprehensive project to address these issues. Over a four-year period, Xenophon visited 38 fueling facilities nationwide – including those at large airports such as Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco – and developed a project that bridged the communications gap between all those involved in fueling operations.

The fuel farms project included outreach to regulatory and law enforcement entities, petroleum and pipeline companies, emergency response personnel and the array of people involved in the process of storing and dispensing fuel at airports across the nation. The heart of the project was the crisis communications plan prepared for each facility and designed to augment the operational response during an emergency situation, and “dark” Web sites to support the facilities during any potential emergency response. The intent was to focus on what was missing from Facility Response Plans – the communications component – and to build on the strength of existing procedures.

The success of the communications plans and supplemental information was confirmed through a series of emergency response exercises – at least two for each facility during the four-year project, and in some cases, up to four drills. Additionally, several operators and airlines included the agency in their own unannounced drills to test the process, which was successfully implemented in every case. Through these drills, Xenophon constantly refined the project while providing participants a vehicle to test and assess their planning. During the course of the project, Xenophon successfully performed more than 80 drills for the fueling industry, all of which were designed to fulfill the federal requirement under OPA 90 for an annual spill management team tabletop exercise. Facilities were provided with proper documentation for their records.

Xenophon also provided 24-hour crisis support for these facilities, which included on-site support, media monitoring and strategic media counsel. We maintained the plans and web sites, updated and revised supplementary template materials, and expanded outreach efforts to continuously broaden the scope of the project. During the four years, the agency successfully responded to nearly a dozen actual emergency events involving fueling operations at airports – again, utilizing procedures our staff and the facilities had planned and tested during this project.