“The airport on Indonesia's major tourist island of Bali has temporarily reopened after a three-day shutdown, even as an erupting volcano continues to spew ash, blocking flight paths and prompting evacuation calls,” writes Scott Neuman in their recent NPR article entitled “Bali's Airport To Reopen As Volcano Continues To Belch And Rumble.”
“Shortly after officials had extended closure of the airport at Denpasar for another day, they suddenly reversed their decision and announced that it would reopen,” Neuman continues.
We’re thankful for this goods news.
But, can you imagine the responsibility?
The volcano continues to threaten the island, so we know everyone is on high alert.
We know your airport is charged with preparing for emergencies. Maybe not like this but critical still.
How would you handle a critical decision-making situation such as this? We understand if you can’t answer.
You’re not prepared for this type of emergency.
This event got us thinking seriously about your airport operation, though.
Not just about the possibility of a volcanic eruption – because we know it’s not common among all airports.
But, all airports are required to put the right measures in place to keep visitors, passengers, and staff safe.
Do you agree?
Bali’s airport must act fast.
Every decision and action can affect the livelihood of everyone involved.
It’s critical to have a proactive operation overseeing every aspect of this airport’s operations.
How does your property proactively prepare for the unexpected threats it might face on a day to day basis?
Are you ready if an emergency presents itself?
Evaluate Your Airport’s Emergency Operations
We recognize the need for quick response when looking at Bali’s airport.
Most operations can expect to avoid the catastrophic nature of a volcanic eruption.
We get it; it’s not common.
But, the level of concern should be duplicated among all airports.
The bottom line is that you need to keep people safe.
We know you have to agree with that statement!
Then, you must ask three serious questions:
- “Can I proactively manage all aspects of my operation?”
- “If not, which parts of Proactive Operations are we missing here at our airport?”
- “Do we have a first-rate strategy, reliable infrastructure, and top-notch technology in place to handle any emergency that presents itself?"
You can quickly identify what needs to be addressed from here using the Proactive Operations methodology.
Scrutinize your operation for weaknesses. You must be able to manage emergencies at any threat level and with confidence in your team and processes.
Don’t be afraid to be critical of your current operation either.
Once you really take your operation apart, you’ll understand which emergency protocols have holes in them.
That’s why it’s important to be thorough.
But practice urgency, because you don’t know when the next emergency situation will arise.
Now, once you’ve completed your evaluation, it’s our best guess that you’ll realize you need to address your strategy, infrastructure, and technology in their entirety.
This epiphany usually happens after an evaluation because you understand how much more your operation is capable of from this point.
It’s what we want for you too.
Over to You
We hope that everyone in Bali remains safe. Unfortunately, none of us can predict the future, which is why you need to be proactive in your efforts.
Evaluate your current operation to understand what is missing and how you can improve to be prepared for what might test your operation’s abilities.
Keep safe. Be proactive.
