fsardone
Solo Diver
In a different thread I raised the issue about the difference between Emergency, Incident and Accident, someone raised the Mishap classification of accident done by some services.
Being an non native speaker, I have to defer to those who use the language in their daily life but the use I make is due to the training I have received in my aeronautical career and FEMA Incident Commander training courses while living in USA.
While Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) makes little difference between incident and Emergency (see below) FAA and NASA makes a clear distinction between Emergency and Incidents/accidents and NTSB classify incidents and accidents in term of seriousness of consequences and mandatory reporting.
In my personal view, since (technical) diving is very alike flying in term of planning execution, hostile environment, need of accident analysis and structured decision making it would make sense to adopt the aeronautical language in term of emergencies accident analysis and reporting in order to improve safety records.
Would you agree? If yes why and if not what is the rationale not to. But again I am a non native speaker and I welcome some discussion on the topic.
I did compile below some definition with sources.
Cheers
Fabio
Merriam Webster Dictionary
Emergency: an unforeseen combination of circumstances or the resulting state that calls for immediate action
Incident: : an action likely to lead to grave consequences especially in diplomatic matters a serious border incident
Accident: an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance
From: https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/is100b/student manual/01ics100b_sm_october2013.pdf
Emergency: Any incident, whether natural or manmade, that requires responsive action to protect life or property. [...]
Incident: An occurrence or event, natural or manmade, that requires a response to protect life or property. Incidents can, for example, include major disasters, emergencies, terrorist attacks, terrorist threats, civil unrest, wildland and urban fires, floods, hazardous materials spills, nuclear accidents, aircraft accidents, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, tropical storms, tsunamis, war-related disasters, public health and medical emergencies, and other occurrences requiring an emergency response.
No difference here
From NTSB Reporting Requirements | NBAA - National Business Aviation Association
Accidents
In Part 830, the NTSB defines an accident as:
Incidents
The NTSB defines an incident as an occurrence other than an accident, associated with the operation of an aircraft, which affects or could affect the safety of operations. While many incidents do not need to be reported to the NTSB, there are serious incidents that must be reported.
From:https://www.faa.gov/regulations_pol...ment_procedures_handbook/media/Appendix_A.pdf
Emergencies
An emergency can be either a distress or urgency condition as defined in the pilot/controller glossary. Distress is defined as a condition of being threatened by serious and/or imminent danger and requiring immediate assistance. Urgency is defined as a condition of being concerned about safety and requiring timely but not immediate assistance; a potential distress condition.
From Emergency or Abnormal Situation - SKYbrary Aviation Safety
An emergency situation is one in which the safety of the aircraft or of persons on board or on the ground is endangered for any reason.
An abnormal situation is one in which it is no longer possiible to continue the flight using normal procedures but the safety of the aircraft or persons on board or on the ground is not in danger.
Being an non native speaker, I have to defer to those who use the language in their daily life but the use I make is due to the training I have received in my aeronautical career and FEMA Incident Commander training courses while living in USA.
While Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) makes little difference between incident and Emergency (see below) FAA and NASA makes a clear distinction between Emergency and Incidents/accidents and NTSB classify incidents and accidents in term of seriousness of consequences and mandatory reporting.
In my personal view, since (technical) diving is very alike flying in term of planning execution, hostile environment, need of accident analysis and structured decision making it would make sense to adopt the aeronautical language in term of emergencies accident analysis and reporting in order to improve safety records.
Would you agree? If yes why and if not what is the rationale not to. But again I am a non native speaker and I welcome some discussion on the topic.
I did compile below some definition with sources.
Cheers
Fabio
Merriam Webster Dictionary
Emergency: an unforeseen combination of circumstances or the resulting state that calls for immediate action
Incident: : an action likely to lead to grave consequences especially in diplomatic matters a serious border incident
: something dependent on or subordinate to something else of greater or principal importance
: an accompanying minor occurrence or condition
: an accompanying minor occurrence or condition
: an unfortunate event resulting especially from carelessness or ignorance
: law : an unexpected happening causing loss or injury which is not due to any fault or misconduct on the part of the person injured
: law : an unexpected happening causing loss or injury which is not due to any fault or misconduct on the part of the person injured
Emergency: Any incident, whether natural or manmade, that requires responsive action to protect life or property. [...]
Incident: An occurrence or event, natural or manmade, that requires a response to protect life or property. Incidents can, for example, include major disasters, emergencies, terrorist attacks, terrorist threats, civil unrest, wildland and urban fires, floods, hazardous materials spills, nuclear accidents, aircraft accidents, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, tropical storms, tsunamis, war-related disasters, public health and medical emergencies, and other occurrences requiring an emergency response.
No difference here
From NTSB Reporting Requirements | NBAA - National Business Aviation Association
Accidents
In Part 830, the NTSB defines an accident as:
- an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and when all such passengers have disembarked,
- in which any person suffers death or serious injury,
- in which the aircraft receives substantial damage.
Incidents
The NTSB defines an incident as an occurrence other than an accident, associated with the operation of an aircraft, which affects or could affect the safety of operations. While many incidents do not need to be reported to the NTSB, there are serious incidents that must be reported.
From:https://www.faa.gov/regulations_pol...ment_procedures_handbook/media/Appendix_A.pdf
Emergencies
An emergency can be either a distress or urgency condition as defined in the pilot/controller glossary. Distress is defined as a condition of being threatened by serious and/or imminent danger and requiring immediate assistance. Urgency is defined as a condition of being concerned about safety and requiring timely but not immediate assistance; a potential distress condition.
From Emergency or Abnormal Situation - SKYbrary Aviation Safety
An emergency situation is one in which the safety of the aircraft or of persons on board or on the ground is endangered for any reason.
An abnormal situation is one in which it is no longer possiible to continue the flight using normal procedures but the safety of the aircraft or persons on board or on the ground is not in danger.