Dear Friend of NADA/F,
Thank you for everything you
have done for air safety and helping to make 1999 a successful year
for NADA/F. You are part of the largest air-safety group in the world.
More and more people are finding out about us through the media and
our website, and our mailing list of members, friends, and
international supporters has more than doubled this year!
We had an excellent Annual
Meeting in October in Detroit. More than 80 people renewed old
friendships and welcomed new members. Speakers included NADA/F friends
such as Mary Schiavo, Bob Allardyce, and William Kauffman from the
University of Michigan. Bill captured everyone's attention on the
regulatory delays and failures that remain the greatest obstacle to
air safety.
The cornerstone of our
safety program is to impress on the FAA that it must implement 100% of
the NTSB's fatal air crash derived recommendations--20% of those are
still in the "Open Unacceptable Response" category--80%
compliance is just NOT acceptable when people's lives are at stake!
And, at a time when airline
profits have soared to $25 million a day, the FAA still allows years
of delay for the implementation of simple known technology such as
smoke detectors in the cargo hold. Our Goals 2000 call for
Congressional Hearings to disclose these unconscionable delays.
But to do all this, we need
your help! Your gift to the NATIONAL AIR DISASTER FOUNDATION of $20
per person will make you a member through the year 2000 and helps
cover the costs of your newsletters, alerts, meeting invitations, and
regional meeting notices.
Additional contributions are
urgently needed to raise awareness about the need for child restraint
seats in flight, the safety of unaccompanied minors, upgraded flight
data recorders, smoke detectors, bans on hazardous materials on
passenger aircraft, higher standards of air safety for all airlines
flying inside the U.S., and more. Together, we will ensure that air
safety standards harmonize UP, not DOWN!
For some of you, perhaps now
is the time to consider a donation of $10,000 or more which would
endow the expenses of our Annual Air Safety Award. Another $10,000
donation would endow a new Air Safety Award for Journalism--special
annual recognition to someone whose investigative work has disclosed
unsafe air practices. Interest income from these one-time gifts will
provide a gift forever.
Please join the hundreds of
individual donors who gave generously to NADF in 1999! Thanks again!
Yours truly,
Gail Dunham, President
FIRST GRANT FOR
INDEPENDENT AIR SAFETY RESEARCH...
Earlier this year Edward
Block was awarded the first research grant received by NADA/F, the
Howard L. Rietz Honorarium, a $5,000 grant for funding independent
research of aircraft wire and cable, and recognizing contributions to
improved air safety.
NADA/F AIR SAFETY
AWARD FOR 1999 TO EDWARD BLOCK...
Speech from Carole Rietz,
October 3, 1999
NADA/F Vice President Email: Arietz@aol.com
"It takes personal
courage to create change. It takes people who will say and do the
right thing when it is unpopular, when it cost them their job. The
NADA/F Safety Award is intended to highlight this courage. This year's
recipient is a whistle blower for sure, and there are times when we
become acutely aware that we need one.
He said it well when A.M.
Rosenthal of the "New York Times" saw Auschwitz for the
first time: 'I understood that silence was a sin.' Mr. Block's
qualifications as a nationally recognized wire and cable expert,
though impressive, are not what won my heart. I was swayed by his
outspoken citizenship. Here is a guy talking about something the
industry and our own government clearly did not want to talk about.
This is when the prevailing atmosphere seemed to be. 'Don't stir up
the hornet's nest, we'll tell them what we want them to know.'
When I started to be
involved in aviation safety, another more experienced person
discouraged me from talking to the press. The idea seemed to be to
negotiate privately for change, not publicly. When I started working
with Ed, I asked if it was okay to give his phone number to someone.
Ed said I could give his phone number to anyone or repeat anything he
said. No secrets! I like that, maybe the FAA could adopt that as a
policy and fire all the PR people. One time he advised me to 'never
stop talking.' He sent me the following email when I was going to
Washington DC and I was a bit scared. It is good advice for all of us,
and it reflects the simple heart and clarity of character and purpose
in his own life that I have come to admire and respect.
Dear Carole, The finest
china goes through the hottest furnace. The reasons for things are not
always there when we want them, but they are there. It is essential
that you turn that emotion into constructive action, because all the
good that can come from this situation is now within your grasp. Your
son would be proud of you just as I am, and all those who have grown
in strength since seeing yours. Keep fighting the good fight since all
it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing. ED
It is indeed an honor to
present the 1999 NADA/F Award for Contributions to Improved Air Safety
to Edward B. Block."
SPECIAL GUEST - ANNUAL
MEETING...
Brian Bell traveled from
Alaska to attend our annual meeting and NADA/F has appreciated his
help and support in so many ways. Many of us receive his website
newsletter and it was great to meet him in person! Brian is the Editor
of the largest electronic daily aviation newsletter in the world.
If you would like to automatically receive the newsletter at no charge
just send your email address to Brian at the following and request the
newsletter: AirJet@AirlineBiz.com.
As I am writing to you, Brian has daily updates while he is on site in
Newport, RI. AirJet is the source for aviation news! Also, if you have
an aviation news story feel free to share it with AirJet@AirlineBiz.com
NADA/F SPONSORED NOVA
- CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM TRAINING...
During the week of October
18-22, 1999, several NADA/F members attended the Crisis Response Team
(CRT) Training offered by NOVA (National Organization for Victim
Assistance) in Baltimore, MD. Participants included Brian Bell, Caryl
Dawson, Joe & Olive Duffy, Gail Dunham, Diane Fowles, Delphine
Glenn, Jim Hurd, Mary Kahl, Bill Mackin, Bob Monetti, Joan Pontante
and Larry & Helen Siebert. An additional 31 participants included
pastors, psychologists, school officials and counselors, and various
victim advocates from law enforcement, etc.
Discussions covered the
basic crisis reactions and emotions, short & long term stress
factors, death notification, bereavement, crisis intervention,
counseling, spiritual issues and group crisis interventions skills.
Four teams were created to present a case study on 4 different
scenarios, one being an airline crash. A simulation of a group crisis
intervention and other discussions gave many of us an opportunity to
educate the other 31 participants about what is happening in airline
travel and the trauma that results from airline crashes. Each
participant also had a chance to practice his or her skills in
facilitating a group crisis intervention.
Our eyes were opened to the
reality of basic needs for families affected by a crisis. Merely
wanting to go to a crash site to help in some way is not good enough.
We believe that NADA/F family members could provide important support
for others after an air crash, however, there is a need for training
to prevent the victimization from reoccurring needlessly after the
initial event. Many of our own members can report endless atrocities
happening to them after their crash. Our NOVA educators also
acknowledged that the method of death notification had a direct
correlation to the trauma suffered long after the crisis. It was also
recommended that we refer to our anniversary dates as
"Remembrance Dates."
This week of comradeship
gave us a chance for bonding and renewing our strength to carry on
after the tragedies that bring us together. Our thanks to Jim Hurd for
the fine job he did in organizing the training session for NADA/F and
also for the chauffeur services and the fine dining recommendations.
Mary Kahl, Board
Member Liaison to United 232 Email: Mkahlcul8@aol.com
A NOTE FROM THE NADA/F
BOARD MEMBERS...
. . . MORE WAYS YOUR
CONTRIBUTION WILL HELP US REACH OUR GOALS!
· Donations are needed for
our general operating expenses for 2000...we communicate our message
through mailings, telephone, fax, and our expanding website. We are
communicating with twice as many people as we did one year ago, and
unfortunately, our expenses to do so have also grown!
· Help us continue the
Disaster Volunteer Training Program for our members so they may best
support victims' families for short-term and long-term friendship and
support.
· Annual Meeting and other
general expenses. . . we must continue to build on the success of our
Annual Meetings, the next of which is planned for Washington, DC in
the fall of 2000. (October 28-29, 2000, Washington DC)
· We would love to be able
to remember each of our loved ones, air crash victims, on the
anniversary event. Your specific gift for the Memorial Fund would
enable us to continue to send flowers or remembrances on those
anniversaries--and flowers from NADA/F for the first memorial service
for our friends at EgyptAir 990, and whoever may sadly follow.
· Since June 1, 1999 we
have responded to AA1420, the Kennedy/Bessette tragedy, Payne
Stewart's fatal flight, and most recently EgyptAir 990--more people
and press have contacted us as the lack of air safety is on "the
front page." This has greatly strained our operating budget and
we need your help so that we can share information about NADA/F with
the press and others.
· NADA/F presence in
Washington, DC. . . while our mailing address is there, financial
constraints have not allowed us to be there, where we are most needed
to reach the decision-makers who can help us achieve our goals.
Funding for the first year would be approximately $100,000. Your
special gift, and your ideas for space (or ideas for donated space)
would be deeply appreciated!
·As you can imagine,
your gifts WILL make a difference! Thank you!
Your "Year
2000" Board Members
All gifts to the NATIONAL
AIR DISASTER FOUNDATION are tax-deductible to the extent allowed
by law.
