In conversations with COOs, emergency operations managers, and safety directors at commercial airports, military airbases, and general aviation facilities, a consistent set of priorities has emerged. While each airport faces its own unique operational and regulatory challenges, a common theme continues to surface in 2025:
The margin for operational error is shrinking—and the expectation for rapid, coordinated response has never been higher.
As federal regulations tighten, passenger volumes increase, and risk scenarios grow more complex, airport leadership is aligning around a clear set of priorities that blend technology, resilience, and organizational clarity.
Here’s what they’re focusing on this year:
- Redundancy in Emergency Communication
If there’s one topic that comes up in nearly every conversation, it’s this:
“What happens if the primary system fails?”
Leaders are taking a hard look at:
- Legacy crash phone systems with no backup
- Single-point-of-failure intercom and paging systems
- Fragmented communication protocols between tower, ARFF, ops, and terminal staff
2025 COOs are prioritizing VoIP-based Aircraft Emergency Systems (AES) and other redundant platforms that:
- Provide multiple communication pathways
- Can activate multiple agencies simultaneously
- Offer diagnostic self-monitoring and logging
- Audit-Ready Accountability
With FAA inspections and grant reporting requirements increasing, operational leaders want systems that not only work—but prove they work.
This includes:
- Time-stamped event logs
- Post-incident analytics
- Documented communication trails
I’ve spoken with leaders who now treat after-action reporting as part of their daily readiness cycle—not just a compliance checkbox.
- Integrated Response Systems
Airport emergency response isn’t just ARFF and tower anymore. It includes:
- Law enforcement
- EMS
- Terminal ops
- Airlines
- Public information officers
- Local agencies (depending on the scale of the event)
That’s why I’ve seen growing investment in systems that integrate:
- Mass notification tools (like Everbridge)
- Emergency paging systems
- Aircraft Emergency Systems (AES)
- Incident management software
The goal? Unified, real-time awareness—where everyone gets the same message at the same time.
- Scalability for Growth and Special Events
With record-breaking passenger numbers in 2024 and increased special events activity (sports tournaments, military exercises, VIP travel), airports are preparing for more frequent surges.
Emergency managers are asking:
- Can our communication systems scale with terminal expansions?
- Can we easily add zones, groups, or new endpoints without a full rewire?
- Are we training for high-volume coordination?
Many are now choosing modular systems that can be reconfigured quickly as their airside footprint or operations shift.
- Modernization Through Federal Funding
The FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP), terminal grants, and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding have given airports a window to modernize systems that had been deferred for years.
I’ve had more than one executive tell me:
“If we don’t make the case for this now, we might miss our opportunity for the next decade.”
That means capital improvement plans in 2025 are prioritizing:
- Crash phone replacement
- Integrated emergency alert systems
- Digital signage for alerting
- Command center upgrades
Final Thought
Airport COOs and Emergency Managers in 2025 aren’t just managing infrastructure—they’re leading cross-functional, high-stakes operations where preparedness is mission-critical.
The airports getting ahead this year are the ones embracing:
- Smart communication systems
- Unified command frameworks
- Data-backed decision-making
- A culture of accountability
If you want to understand where an airport stands—don’t just look at the tarmac. Look at how fast and clearly their people can respond when the unexpected happens.
That’s where the future of airport safety is being built.
About Westnet Public Safety
Westnet Public Safety, based in Huntington Beach, California, specializes in emergency alerting and dispatch systems for airport fire and rescue teams. Engineered in the USA, Westnet’s solutions—like VoIP alerting and touchscreen activation—enhance rapid response, streamline crash phone communications, and support the critical safety needs of airport emergency operations nationwide.
