ACRP Impact on Practice: 20 Years of Airport-to-Airport Mutual Aid

When communities are faced with hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters, airports serve critical response and recovery roles by enabling evacuations and the flow of emergency resources, supplies, and personnel. Yet when these same disasters damage airports and disrupt airport operations, response and recovery times in affected communities can be significantly delayed.

This ACRP Impact on Practice highlights how ACRP Report 73: Airport-to-Airport Mutual Aid Programs—and the tools, strategies, and guidance within—remain foundational resources guiding emergency response and airport-to-airport mutual aid around the country. Since 2012, Report 73 has supported the operation of airport-to-airport mutual aid programs that have played critical roles in helping airports recover from disasters, from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 to Hurricane Ian in 2022 and Helene in 2024.

E-Newsletter Type: Recently Released TRB Publications

TRB Publication Type: ACRP Impacts on Practice

This Summary Last Modified On: 11/5/2025