State Air Operations Manager

Scope

The State Air Operations Manager (SAOM) is responsible for ensuring that aircraft and aviation support resources are dispatched and coordinated to incidents, when the State Air Desk (SAD) is activated. The SAOM maintains a strategic overview to ensure the safe, effective and efficient management of aerial and logistical support assets. The SAOM position is activated by the State Operations Controller (SOC) or Director State Operations (DSO).

Fundamental Protocols underpin the actions of all RFS members and must be adhered to at all times. They outline the Principles of being an RFS member and provide guidance on conduct to support the safety and wellbeing of members.

Accountabilities

• Maintain a knowledge of current and forecast weather conditions.
• Liaise with and provide briefings to the SOC/Deputy State Operations Controller (DSOC), State Duty Operations Officer (SDOO) and Major Incident Coordinators (MIC).
• Assists MICs to ensure Incident Controllers (IC) have appropriate aviation management support.
• Maintain a current overview of deployed and available aircraft and aviation Incident Management Team (IMT) structure.
• Ensure compliance with Operational Procedures and Guidelines (OPGs) and Interagency Aviation Standard Operating Procedures.
• Plan, monitor, and review the strategic deployment and redeployment of key aviation assets to meet predicted threat.
• Coordinate with relevant authorities to ensure appropriate airspace management is in place.
• Check and provide copy of relevant Aviation statistics to the SOC/DSOC prior to 1030 hours each day.
• Establish appropriate staffing of the SAD.
• Advise Manager, Operational Business of any actual or potential breaches or issues relating to aviation contractual matters.
• Adhere to and ensure awareness of Aviation Dispatch/Tasking rejection procedures.
• Ensure safety standards are maintained at all times.
• Point of contact for any significant aviation accidents/incidents.
• When a Large Air Tanker Coordinator (LATCO) is not appointed, conduct a morning briefing with all Large Air Tanker (LAT) Base personnel when activated.
• Enter an operations log into Incident Control Online (ICON) after each LAT Base briefing.

Special Considerations

• The SAOM will ensure the SDOO/SOC/DSOC are aware of aircraft dispatches.
• The SAOM will ensure that any relevant operational information they are provided is captured within the (ICON) and ARENA systems.

Related Information

• Interagency Aviation Standard Operating Procedure