Flight 5342: How American’s CARE Team answered the call
Every year, American Airlines team members volunteer to become part of the CARE Team, a specially trained group focused on supporting passengers, family members, loved ones and team members who have been affected by an airline-related incident. The CARE Team was created in response to the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act (ADFAA) of 1996.
Nearly 2,000 team members across the airline have received this comprehensive training to respond in times of crisis.
During the night of Jan. 29, American started deploying its CARE Team to Washington, D.C., and Wichita, Kansas, to support the families of the passengers and crew members of Flight 5342. More than 220 CARE Team members immediately and selflessly answered the call and have been working around the clock to comfort and support the families and loved ones. They represent more than 80 different departments from 30 locations around North America.
To be part of the CARE Team, team members must complete intensive, multi-day and ongoing training led by American’s Emergency Planning and Response team, which has decades of experience in providing and training others on trauma-informed care. Their focus is to respond to the immediate physical and logistical needs of affected family members and loved ones in their time of need.
Responsibilities include being present for family members; coordinating travel arrangements; arranging accommodations as well as childcare, elder care or pet care; facilitating and arranging transportation for critical meetings in the weeks following the accident; and obtaining clothes, toiletries and other necessary items.
“We’re unified by one mission: to be sure the families of our passengers and crew members are taken care of in the most delicate, detailed and sensitive manner.”
Being part of the CARE Team means working early mornings through late nights and taking calls at all hours of the day. It means spending an indefinite period away from their current job and homes. It means full-time dedication.
Hundreds of team members have been willing to put their own needs aside to support our customers. Because care, in any form, never stops.
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