Disaster Recovery Aviation and Spaceports Office

The FDOT Aviation Office supports disaster preparedness and recovery operations conducted under the authority of the Division of Emergency Management through involvement with the FDOT Transportation Emergency Operation Center, Emergency Support Function 1, and the Air Operations Branch of the State Emergency Response Team. 

Transportation Emergency Operations Center
Pursuant to Section 252.365, FS,  The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Transportation Emergency Operations Center (TEOC) is the section of the FDOT Emergency Management Office that is responsible for providing support to the State Emergency Response Team (SERT), and FDOT Central Office and District staff on transportation issues during disaster response, recovery, and as a part of disaster mitigation planning. 

Although TEOC is generally staffed by the members of the FDOT Emergency Management office, the staff may be augmented by other FDOT employees in order to meet specific mission requirements.  In certain cases, if an emergency or disaster event involves aviation or airport assets, TEOC staff augmentation by FDOT Aviation staff may be required.  In that event, FDOT Aviation staff may assist TEOC staff in facilitating information flow between non-aviation entities and aviation-specific organizations, and providing support for coordination of airport assets involved in emergency or disaster response.

You may contact the Airspace Protection and Security Manager for additional information.

Emergency Support Function 1
Pursuant to Section 252.35, FS,  Emergency Support Function 1 (ESF 1) is a function of the State Emergency Response Team (SERT), comprised of five state and federal agencies (Florida DOT, US DOT, US DOT Office of Emergency Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, and the United States Coast Guard), and responsible for coordination and fulfillment of assigned missions during disaster response activities as they relate to transportation. 

Considering the specific and technical nature of air transportation, FDOT Aviation Office staff may be called upon to support the fulfillment of ESF 1 missions as they relate to aviation and air transportation, including but not limited to coordination of airport assets to support emergency response and recovery at aviation facilities and coordinating information flow between non-aviation entities and aviation-specific organizations.

You may contact the Airspace Protection and Security Manager for additional information.

You may also see www.floridadisaster.org for more information on the SERT and Division of Emergency Management.

Air Operations Branch
Pursuant to Section 252.35, FS,  The Air Operations Branch of the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) was established in order to ensure the timely and appropriate support of air mission requests during disaster response, to review air mission requests and determine prioritization of critical needs, to review available aviation resources and determine their best utilization during disaster response activities, to provide for efficient mission planning and ensure safe airspace deconfliction, and to promote federal, state and local aviation asset interagency collaboration. 

The FDOT Aviation Office is responsible for fulfilling the mission responsibilities of the Air Support Section of the Air Operations Branch.  In their roles as FDOT Liaison Officers, FDOT Aviation Office staff is responsible for coordination of assets available to support disaster response aviation operations. Those functions may involve providing current aviation facility operational status and capacity, current status of aviation facility infrastructure, and current availability of aviation fuels.  FDOT Aviation Office staff may also be required to, in close coordination with other disaster response planners and organization, coordinate establishment and operation of bases for aviation assets involved in disaster response.

You may contact the Airspace Protection and Security Manager for additional information.

Disaster Tab
The Florida Aviation Database (FAD) Disaster Preparedness tab is an additional function of an individual airport profile, which is intended to provide additional capability for aviation facilities to respond to and recover from disasters. The access to this tab is not a default setting as a part of each airport profile, and should only be requested for staff responsible for disaster preparedness and response at the specific facility. 

The Disaster Preparedness tab is broken up into three functional areas: Facility Data, Shared Resources, and Reports.

The Facility Data area allows pre-selected airport staff to provide critical information on the airport’s status. The Alerts section contains the Airport Status drop-down menu, a link to view relevant NOTAMs, and a comment section.  The drop-down menu indicates the airport’s current status as either ‘Open’, ‘Commercial Service Suspended’, ‘Emergency Operations Only’, or ‘Closed’.  Changing the status in the drop-down menu and saving the information causes the system to alert via e-mail and through electronic mapping.

The Shared Resources area allows pre-selected airport staff and emergency responders to share information about resources available prior to a disaster that may become helpful in response and recovery. The Vault section allows authorized parties to upload to the FAD any documentation critical to the facility’s quick post-disaster recovery (such as electrical schematics of lighting and navigational aid systems, etc.) for access only by FDOT Aviation Office staff, as well as disaster responders. The Shared Resources tab allows aviation facilities the capability to list any staff or resources (equipment, materials, etc.) that are available to be requested by other Florida’s public-use aviation airports for disaster preparedness/response through mutual aid.  This section is intended to be utilized by FDOT Aviation Office staff or SERT Air Operations Branch staff in identifying resources immediately needed to respond to a disaster at another facility. 

The Reports area allows FDOT and FAA staff the ability to generate reports regarding airport status and resources for use by the FDOT Transportation Emergency Operation Center, Emergency Support Function 1, Air Operations Branch, and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

You may contact the Airspace Protection and Security Manager for additional information.

Reconnaissance Element
Pursuant to Section 252.365, FS,  the State of Florida must be prepared to respond quickly and effectively on a 24-hour basis to developing events.  This element of disaster recovery enables FDOT to perform reconnaissance of transportation facilities in times of disaster or emergency, including the assessment of damage and the ability of these facilities to support recovery operations.

Upon request from the Transportation Emergency Operations Center (TEOC) personnel from the FDOT Aviation Office may join and participate in reconnaissance of the aviation facilities in the impacted area.  Personnel will utilize their aviation expertise to assess the condition of impacted facilities, and their suitability to support disaster response and relief.

You may contact the Airspace Protection and Security Manager for additional information.

Southeast Airport Disaster Operations Group
The Southeast Airport Disaster Operations Group, or SEADOG, is an informal collection of airports who have come together to provide operational assistance to airports hit by natural disasters, such as hurricanes or floods. SEADOG coordinates fast responses to specific operational needs, supplying teams of volunteer airport staff and necessary equipment needed to return an airport to operational status. SEADOG works closely with WESTDOG, its Western U.S. counterpart. Participation in SEADOG is voluntary and open to all.

You may also see SEADOG for more information.

Airport Status Map (GATOR)
The Florida Division of Emergency Management has created an Airport Status Web Mapping Application within the State Emergency Response Team GeoPortal. This application receives a continuously updated download of airport status information directly from the Florida Aviation Database. The real-time data is graphically displayed on a map and provides users with up to date information on all of Florida’s public-use airports.

You may access the Airport Status Web Mapping Application for current airport status.

You may access the on-line training module for using the Airport Status Web Mapping Application.