This Is Perplexing: Emergency services barred from entry at Buffalo- Lancaster Region

[Lee Chowaniec]

It is 12 days since the Buffalo-Lancaster-Airport departure accident of a Cessna aircraft owned by a flight school located at BLA. Outside of initially reading that the aircraft was totaled, that there was a pilot and a passenger, that neither got hurt, and that the FAA is involved in the investigation, from then on, nada, crickets.

People who heard of the accident approach me asking questions that I can’t answer as I have no more information than what they have read / heard and there are many conflicting narratives.

Many do question:

There was an accident on the runway of a regional airport that is supposed to follow FAA guidelines in time of emergency. Why did the airport deny police and emergency service access to the airport? The gates were locked, and the responders were denied access.

Who contacted the police and alerted them of the accident?

Why haven’t the names of the pilot or passenger been released?

Was this flight school aircraft doing touch-and-go take-off and landing exercises? If so, who was piloting the plane at the time? Instructor or student?

Why is the FFA conducting the accident investigation? Not the National Transportation Safety Board?

Why is Supervisor Ruffino backing away from conducting a town investigation until the FAA conducts its investigation and reports its findings?

By what / whose authority does this airport have the right to tell the town or the police to pound salt, that their land is sovereign and off limits?

Some will hold these questions are out of the purview of the common taxpayer. It was from the taxpayer pocketbooks that this airport got all the federal, state grants and three bogus LIDA's that helped fund the 'reliever' airport's expansion and improvements.

[shortstuff]

It is 12 days since the Buffalo-Lancaster-Airport departure accident of a Cessna aircraft owned by a flight school located at BLA. Outside of initially reading that the aircraft was totaled, that there was a pilot and a passenger, that neither got hurt, and that the FAA is involved in the investigation, from then on, nada, crickets.

People who heard of the accident approach me asking questions that I can’t answer as I have no more information than what they have read / heard and there are many conflicting narratives.

Many do question:

There was an accident on the runway of a regional airport that is supposed to follow FAA guidelines in time of emergency. Why did the airport deny police and emergency service access to the airport? The gates were locked, and the responders were denied access.

Who contacted the police and alerted them of the accident?

Why haven’t the names of the pilot or passenger been released?

Was this flight school aircraft doing touch-and-go take-off and landing exercises? If so, who was piloting the plane at the time? Instructor or student?

Why is the FFA conducting the accident investigation? Not the National Transportation Safety Board?

Why is Supervisor Ruffino backing away from conducting a town investigation until the FAA conducts its investigation and reports its findings?

By what / whose authority does this airport have the right to tell the town or the police to pound salt, that their land is sovereign and off limits?

Some will hold these questions are out of the purview of the common taxpayer. It was from the taxpayer pocketbooks that this airport got all the federal, state grants and three bogus LIDA's that helped fund the 'reliever' airport's expansion and improvements.

This is disturbing Lee. Years back, there was another incident similar to this recent one where the same emergency response was denied. At the time, I made numerous calls and was able to get first responders and the airport director to agree upon emergency first response protocol measures to allow access 24/7. So, what has happened to that emergency response protocol since then?

It is a regional airport and has accepted IDA's (federal grant monies) which allows local law to have jurisdiction as well as federal laws.

I have faith that Council Member Leary will get to the bottom of this incident and reinstate emergency response protocol measures to ensure the safety of all involved. Don't take your eye off the ball town of Lancaster.

[Lee Chowaniec]

This is disturbing Lee. Years back, there was another incident similar to this recent one where the same emergency response was denied. At the time, I made numerous calls and was able to get first responders and the airport director to agree upon emergency first response protocol measures to allow access 24/7. So, what has happened to that emergency response protocol since then?

It is a regional airport and has accepted IDA's (federal grant monies) which allows local law to have jurisdiction as well as federal laws.

I have faith that Council Member Leary will get to the bottom of this incident and reinstate emergency response protocol measures to ensure the safety of all involved. Don't take your eye off the ball town of Lancaster.

Shortstuff, I was shocked when I learned that at the recent town board work session Supervisor Ruffino declared the town would wait for the FAA’s investigation report before taking any action. We have both heard enough from the FAA in the past to cast suspicion on their responses.

I appreciate you’re posting the following: At the time, I made numerous calls and was able to get first responders and the airport director to agree upon emergency first response protocol measures to allow access 24/7. So, what has happened to that emergency response protocol since then? It is a regional airport and has accepted IDA's (federal grant monies) which allows local law to have jurisdiction as well as federal laws.

That is the crux of the matter! We know that, why aren’t our town board police, and first responders acting accordingly to get clarification by whose authority BLA decided this incident was exempt from all involved agencies responding and conducting an open and thorough investigation of the accident.

Playing by the rules has never been a strong suit of the BLA. Too often they got a pass from the regulatory agencies.

This should not be allowed to die on the vine!

[shortstuff]

Shortstuff, I was shocked when I learned that at the recent town board work session Supervisor Ruffino declared the town would wait for the FAA’s investigation report before taking any action. We have both heard enough from the FAA in the past to cast suspicion on their responses.

I appreciate you’re posting the following: At the time, I made numerous calls and was able to get first responders and the airport director to agree upon emergency first response protocol measures to allow access 24/7. So, what has happened to that emergency response protocol since then? It is a regional airport and has accepted IDA's (federal grant monies) which allows local law to have jurisdiction as well as federal laws.

That is the crux of the matter! We know that, why aren’t our town board police, and first responders acting accordingly to get clarification by whose authority BLA decided this incident was exempt from all involved agencies responding and conducting an open and thorough investigation of the accident.

Playing by the rules has never been a strong suit of the BLA. Too often they got a pass from the regulatory agencies.

This should not be allowed to die on the vine!

There is a chain of command regarding first responders within the Town of Lancaster. I would start with the fire department, that was the department I worked with when I helped them facilitate protocol measures when an incident happens at the airport. Who is the Chief now at the fire department Lee? Debbie Lemaster can reach out and get that reinstated. The airport director (whoever that is now) should have a document that states legal interpretation of first response protocol measures. If I remember correctly, I worked also with the FAA to make sure those measures were put in place. Find out what the local jurisdiction is for first responders' freedom of access protocol measures and have the Lemasters get that solidified and put into the files at the townhall. In fact, I believe I left it with them at the time. Leary can check the files out and see what those guidelines are.

[Lee Chowaniec]

There is a chain of command regarding first responders within the Town of Lancaster. I would start with the fire department, that was the department I worked with when I helped them facilitate protocol measures when an incident happens at the airport. Who is the Chief now at the fire department Lee? Debbie Lemaster can reach out and get that reinstated. The airport director (whoever that is now) should have a document that states legal interpretation of first response protocol measures. If I remember correctly, I worked also with the FAA to make sure those measures were put in place. Find out what the local jurisdiction is for first responders' freedom of access protocol measures and have the Lemasters get that solidified and put into the files at the townhall. In fact, I believe I left it with them at the time. Leary can check the files out and see what those guidelines are.

Your requests are deserving of respect and answer. For now, the ball is in the town’s court. Police, fire, and ambulatory services are as disturbed as we are concerning the airport’s refusal to deny their access. They are equally miffed at Supervisor Ruffino’s position of awaiting the findings from a federal agency before taking any action to investigate the accident – and to ensure the same response does not occur should another accident take place at the airport. As we both know there have been issues with ‘flight schools’ in the past.

It was equally surprising no board member refuted Ruffino’s decision to let the FFA conduct the investigation – one that could last for months and cover little on the airport’s denial to allow emergency responders on site as established protocol mandates.

It took town residents to stop the BS that was taking place at the BLA airport years ago, as the town was then reluctant to take responsible action. It is in the town’s hands once again and the residents will not walk away from a bad outcome.

Patience! It won't always be crickets! The airport received millions of taxpayers' dollars in federal and state grants, and three bogus Lancaster Industrial Development Agency PILOTS to become a 'reliever' airport. Now it believes it can tell emergency first responders to stay off its property - and without explanation(s) when the need suits them?

[Lee Chowaniec]

Still perplexed and incensed by town’s position

Read the Buffalo News report that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) completed its 20-month investigation of the Mark Croce helicopter crash and that the final report remains questionable.

20 months to complete the Croce investigation, 24 months to complete an earlier air-related accident and death involving the Lancaster Regional Airport and Supervisor Ruffino and the town board will await the FAA investigative report before conducting its own investigation on why emergency services were barred from entry into the airport when notified of an overturned plane.

In a May 19th Lancaster Bee report, we were informed of the following:

A runway accident at the Buffalo-Lancaster Regional Airport on Walden Avenue caused concern from members of the Lancaster Town Board this Saturday, with emergency services being barred from entry upon being notified of the overturned plane.

“This is completely unacceptable. We will have to check with our attorneys to see what the agreement is with them,” said Town of Lancaster Trustee Robert Leary discussing the incident. He floated the idea that any special use permits issued could be used as motivation for the airport to exercise cooperation and transparency with local emergency services. He believes medical professionals should be allowed to be on-site during these situations, and equally, that law enforcement should be permitted to investigate the circumstances surrounding any crash or accident.

Supervisor Ron Ruffino communicated his thoughts on the matter. “The Lancaster Town Board is aware of the aircraft incident that was reported today at the Buffalo Lancaster Airport,” he said. “We are aware that the FAA is investigating, and the board will follow up with the FAA and management from the airport.”

Both Leary and Ruffino would like to know how many other accidents have happened recently at the airport, and the protocol surrounding those incidents after they occur.
Erie County Legislator Frank Todaro has put in an official request to the FAA for more information on the airport’s history of any accidents. “Any open cases, any closed cases, within the last three years,” he said.

The topic was briefly addressed at the Town of Lancaster’s board meeting workshop on Monday, May 16. There, the board decided that any further will be made after the FAA’s investigation.

Comment

The Buffalo-Lancaster Regional airport has been in existence for decades. The town, Code Enforcement Officer, and Emergency Responders have no knowledge of any agreement with the airport when they are permitted to respond in time of emergency and/or investigate the scene of an accident to determine extent of personal injuries, cause of accident, etc.? Seriously? The airport has the right to claim the accident happened on private property, that they will handle it. Nothing to see here. Seriously?

Will the FAA report cover the emergency response protocols or just investigate the cause of the accident?

Do I have the right to deny any type of emergency response when an accident, fire, etc., occurs on my ‘private property’? I think not!

The town’s reaction to the airport’s response was ludicrous. Then taking the position that it would petition the FAA for information and await its findings is like asking the fox in the hen house: “Is everything alright in there?”

Councilman Leary and Erie County Legislator Todaro appear more interested in seeking answers. Hopefully, they continue to pursue that avenue as Supervisor’s response appears to be nothing more than shifting responsibility as a FAA response is not likely to occur before his term in office expires.

[gorja]

Still perplexed and incensed by town’s position

Read the Buffalo News report that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) completed its 20-month investigation of the Mark Croce helicopter crash and that the final report remains questionable.

20 months to complete the Croce investigation, 24 months to complete an earlier air-related accident and death involving the Lancaster Regional Airport and Supervisor Ruffino and the town board will await the FAA investigative report before conducting its own investigation on why emergency services were barred from entry into the airport when notified of an overturned plane.

In a May 19th Lancaster Bee report, we were informed of the following:

A runway accident at the Buffalo-Lancaster Regional Airport on Walden Avenue caused concern from members of the Lancaster Town Board this Saturday, with emergency services being barred from entry upon being notified of the overturned plane.

“This is completely unacceptable. We will have to check with our attorneys to see what the agreement is with them,” said Town of Lancaster Trustee Robert Leary discussing the incident. He floated the idea that any special use permits issued could be used as motivation for the airport to exercise cooperation and transparency with local emergency services. He believes medical professionals should be allowed to be on-site during these situations, and equally, that law enforcement should be permitted to investigate the circumstances surrounding any crash or accident.

Supervisor Ron Ruffino communicated his thoughts on the matter. “The Lancaster Town Board is aware of the aircraft incident that was reported today at the Buffalo Lancaster Airport,” he said. “We are aware that the FAA is investigating, and the board will follow up with the FAA and management from the airport.”

Both Leary and Ruffino would like to know how many other accidents have happened recently at the airport, and the protocol surrounding those incidents after they occur.
Erie County Legislator Frank Todaro has put in an official request to the FAA for more information on the airport’s history of any accidents. “Any open cases, any closed cases, within the last three years,” he said.

The topic was briefly addressed at the Town of Lancaster’s board meeting workshop on Monday, May 16. There, the board decided that any further will be made after the FAA’s investigation.

Comment

The Buffalo-Lancaster Regional airport has been in existence for decades. The town, Code Enforcement Officer, and Emergency Responders have no knowledge of any agreement with the airport when they are permitted to respond in time of emergency and/or investigate the scene of an accident to determine extent of personal injuries, cause of accident, etc.? Seriously? The airport has the right to claim the accident happened on private property, that they will handle it. Nothing to see here. Seriously?

Will the FAA report cover the emergency response protocols or just investigate the cause of the accident?

Do I have the right to deny any type of emergency response when an accident, fire, etc., occurs on my ‘private property’? I think not!

The town’s reaction to the airport’s response was ludicrous. Then taking the position that it would petition the FAA for information and await its findings is like asking the fox in the hen house: “Is everything alright in there?”

Councilman Leary and Erie County Legislator Todaro appear more interested in seeking answers. Hopefully, they continue to pursue that avenue as Supervisor’s response appears to be nothing more than shifting responsibility as a FAA response is not likely to occur before his term in office expires.

Any of us has the right to refuse medical treatment. I don't know if that was the circumstances. The individuals involved may have stated no medical treatment is needed. Send them away. I certainly don't know the facts but I'm just throwing out a possibility

[Lee Chowaniec]

Any of us has the right to refuse medical treatment. I don't know if that was the circumstances. The individuals involved may have stated no medical treatment is needed. Send them away. I certainly don't know the facts but I'm just throwing out a possibility

Ah, so it was the flight school pilot or passenger involved in the accident who determined the gate(s) should remain closed because they were uninjured. The accident was reported, emergency responders answered the call to ensure the individuals involved in the crash were examined to ensure medical treatment was not necessary, to ascertain the plane was in danger of catching fire / exploding, that fuel did not escape onto the runway or in danger of doing so, perform an investigation to ensure the plane occupants were licensed / permitted to fly, and not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

But you think there is the possibility that an accident that was called in, where emergency responders rushed to the scene to provide aid could be denied access to the scene of an accident because the individuals involved in the accident said they were fine and access to the scene could be denied by the airport because the accident happened on private property. Seriously?

The private property claim is a stretch to me knowing this is a reliever airport that serves the public and received millions of dollars of federal and state grant funds to expand and improve the airport and several Lancaster Industrial Development Agency (LIDA) PILOTS were approved where no jobs were created, and the ultimate reason was for the airport to sell aviation fuel competitively.

Openness and transparency, my ass! While the town is doing some investigative work it should investigate how the airport is permitted, its actual land ownership and use under the special use permit, and the amount property taxes the airport pays, and why.

Nothing to see here, right? If so, why was the town denied access at the scene of an accident.

Saddle up boys and put your big boy boots on! The airport just told you to go eff yourself!

[gorja]

From
https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/cases/co...or%20decisions.

The Fourteenth Amendment provides that no State shall "deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law." The principle that a competent person has a constitutionally protected liberty interest in refusing unwanted medical treatment may be inferred from our prior decisions

[gorja]

From
https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/cases/co...or%20decisions.

The Fourteenth Amendment provides that no State shall "deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law." The principle that a competent person has a constitutionally protected liberty interest in refusing unwanted medical treatment may be inferred from our prior decisions

Maybe, since it's a private airport that received public funds, they can't refuse entry. But as I'm not a lawyer, I can only guess if the situation was handled legally or not.

[Lee Chowaniec]

Maybe, since it's a private airport that received public funds, they can't refuse entry. But as I'm not a lawyer, I can only guess if the situation was handled legally or not.

Denying medical aid is not what this thread is about. It concerns airport access deniability to municipal emergency services and accident investigation related to cause – weather, pilot error, pilot capability.

According to information provided the Little Bird Airways LLC flight school operation had an accident at takeoff. There were no fatalities, but the airplane damage was noted as ‘substantial’. It was also noted: ‘Little or no information is provided’.

Little or no information is being provided because immediate access to the scene by police, fire, ambulance was denied. The town is going to wait for the FAA report from investigators who arrived at the scene whenever that was. Sounds like a sound plan, right?

Supervisor Ruffino is content to sit this one out. Hopefully, Leary, Todaro, and our legal department will pursue the airport’s claim its private property and they can deny access to anyone – as they once did to a previous Town Assessor.

Speculation and a lot of maybes on your part. Hopefully, we will find out what really happened here and why municipal emergency services were denied. A municipality’s number one priority is public safety.