At MMAC there is a very wide variety of critical incidents that challenge our community of first responders. These responders include our contract Security Officers, OKC law enforcement, Will Rogers/OKC fire and emergency medical service personnel, and ambulance service, EMSA. Incidents can represent a range of issues from medical emergencies, building fires, criminal occurrences, and major weather events like ice storms and tornadoes. As emergency responders, planning and training for an active shooter or a terrorist attack, such as the Oklahoma City bombing or the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center is essential.

First responders at the Aeronautical Center have different technical backgrounds. Some employees may have a fire training background versus law enforcement; however, similar training is conducted for all first responders using a standardized approach to command, control, and coordinate an emergency response. This enables responders from multiple agencies to work together effectively.

The actions that are taken by these first responders are of paramount importance. Initial actions will likely determine the safety of any innocent MMAC civilians involved and the successful outcome of the incident. The first twenty to sixty minutes of an incident are the most critical. The policies and procedures that we follow during these initial stages of response, help to stabilize the event and can set the tone for the entire incident.

The success in an emergency response is directly related to what was done prior to the emergency. Members in the Office of Facility Management have developed, organized, and trained teams for an effective response and continued operational control. Here are some of the ongoing protective activities that take place at MMAC:

• The MMAC contract Security Officers Force proactively patrols the Center and investigates suspicious behavior while monitoring for emergencies.
• The Facilities Services Division (AMP-100) conducts safety inspections and surveillance.
• The Operations and Maintenance Division (AMP-300) staff is actively engaged in proactive maintenance of building systems and infrastructure and conducts route surveillance and testing of fire and security systems.
• AMP-300 works with the National Weather Service to be notified of any real-time weather alerts as soon as they are issued. This includes warnings for flash floods, ice, dust storms and tornados.
• The AMP-300 Emergency Readiness Officer (ERO) is responsible for policy development, planning, and the coordination of the emergency preparedness program for all MMAC organizations. The ERO serves as the "first responder" to all emergency situations at the MMAC and the implementation of MMAC’s Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP).
• Depending on the type and severity of an emergency, there are several groups located at the Center that may play a role in emergency response including: the Enterprise Services Center (information technology), Public Affairs, and the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI).
• AMP-300 takes the lead when sending out mass notifications to employees, contractors, and visitors to the Center during an emergency.
• MMAC is also equipped with several storm shelters and shelter-in-place locations.

When an emergency happens at the Aeronautical Center, it is recommended that you call ext. 4-3444 rather than 9-1-1. By calling ext. 4-3444, the call goes directly to our MMAC emergency phone line. This enables on site Security Officers to respond immediately, while others members of our Security team contact local fire, law enforcement, and medical resources. This process also helps support the speedy arrival of local responders while also engaging others groups on the Center that may play a role in emergency response.

Every day we work with our contracted Security Officers, many of whom have law enforcement and military backgrounds. We also have strong working relationships with our local responders such as Will Rogers Fire, OKC fire and police, and EMSA. Having a daily emergency response on smaller events keeps all responders trained and organized. Our MMAC Security Officers, along with the local first responders are trained and organized to a point where everyone who responds knows what the plan is, right down to the last medic, firefighter, or patrol officer. It is good to know that any of these individuals are fully capable of controlling the emergency response during an incident.