Teaches Fire Safety, Refueling Procedures, Towing

The Medallion Foundation, a non-profit aviation safety organization that provides management resources, training and support to the Alaskan aviation community, has contracted with the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) to bring the Safety 1st professional line-service training program to its members.

The Medallion Five Star Shield Program is an enhanced safety management system (SMS) that takes a business-like approach to safety, providing for the setting of goals as well as planning and measuring performance in specific areas through the use of system- safety concepts.  Under the Medallion Five Star Shield program, there is a requirement that each applicant develop an effective ground-service program for the protection of customers as well as employees.  Currently, 57 air carriers in Alaska are participating in the program.

"By adding NATA's Safety 1st program, the Foundation brings a proven professional line-service safety program to its members," said Amy Koranda, manager of education and training for NATA.  "In addition to the ten-module NATA Safety 1st professional line-service training program, Alaskan operators will attend the Line Service Supervisor Training Seminar [LSST]," added Koranda.  The LSST brings operators and industry experts together for a day of technical, real-world line-service issues and standard operating procedures.  The LSST will be conducted in major cities in Alaska later this year. 

NATA's Safety 1st program is a widely recognized line-service training and testing program currently employed by more than 550 FBOs throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.  The program teaches personnel proper and safe procedures for ground servicing and refueling, fire-safety training (including FAR 139.321 certification), towing and handling of aircraft.  Properly implemented, the Safety 1st program reduces costs and creates a safer working environment.

FMI: akoranda@nata-online.org, www.nata-online.org