IT'S FODAMENTAL!
Foreign Object Debris
(FOD) is one of the most important
safety concerns at
airports. This debris can
range from a nail to a shipping
container which can
be in the wrong place at the
wrong time and account for
a minor or serious accident
if left on the active roadways.
FOD patrols occur
regularly at all airports,
and at JFK there is a special
FOD Clean-Up Day where
the community and schools
participate in learning
about FOD, its dangers and
ways in which to collect and
remove safely.
The 2019 FOD Clean-UP
Day happened to fall on a
8 AIRPORT VOICE, JUNE 2019
beautiful Spring Day. It actually
turned warm and the
sun shined off the reflective
safety vests that all Port people
and volunteers wear to be
clearly seen along the property.
This day began near the
USPS facility where a lot of
FOD somehow collects. In addition
to the volunteer effort,
WFS and dnata were on hand
with heavy equipment moving
ULDs and pallets into a
collection spot for later return
to airlines and terminal
facilities. The day continued
with the workforce heading
to the beach, no, not Jones
Beach, rather the beach front
of Jamaica Bat that abuts the
airport property.
FOD Day volunteers
came from many private organization
and companies
of the airport, Farmingdale
Aviation College, Port Authority,
and coordinated by
the Port Authority and the
JFK Airport Chamber of
Commerce with the support
of Royal Waste, VRH, Russo’s,
CowBay, Crowne Plaza
Hotel, Hilton, and Civil Air
Patrol.
At days end, JFK Airport
General Manager Charles
Everett and the Chamber of
Commerce presented each
volunteer with a certificate
of merit and a welcomed
lunch for a job well done.
The Gomez family gets into the swing of things during the FOD cleanup.
Landside Operations Manager Teresa Rizzuto gives Mighty Vac a hand
during FOD Day clean-up.
Port Authority Guillio Minguillo gives FOD volunteers an overview of
the mission and safety concerns before the start of the morning's
clean-up. Photopage by Jeff Yapalater
Dozens of FOD clean-up volunteers scour the beach for debris adjacent to a busy runway at JFK Airport.
Farmingdale Aviation student John Filosa thanked for participating
by JFK GM Charles Everett.