Frank Ciaccio

Frank Ciaccio currently is the Director of Emergency Management for the Houston Airport System (HAS).  Frank is responsible for providing strategic leadership for the Emergency Management division along with providing technical guidance during an emergency response at IAH (Bush), HOU (Hobby), and EFD (Ellington) airports. He is responsible for developing and implementing Airport Emergency Response Plans, Evacuation Plans and Airport Family Assistance Plans while focusing on collaboration and an all-hazards approach to emergency management. Frank is also the emergency manager for the airports emergency operations center and is responsible for managing the operations during an emergency activation. Frank has over 25 years of diverse experience in law enforcement, aviation, forensic investigations, and emergency response working multiple aviation disasters both domestic and international. He has worked both in the private and public sector and is a former Forensic Investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). In addition, he has participated and conducted several Emergency Response/Crisis Management training programs from developing and facilitating table-top exercise to full-scale exercises. He has developed multiple emergency management response plans for airlines along with several mass fatality plans for government agencies. While at the NTSB, Frank coordinated the recovery and forensic operations during many domestic and international plane crashes including several high-profile accidents such as, TWA 800, EgyptAir 990, JFK Jr., Payne Stewart, and Governor Carnahan’s plane crash. Frank was part of the recovery team at ground zero in NYC following the 911 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Frank has lectured around the world to airlines, airports, universities, and law enforcement agencies on recovery operations and utilizing scientific techniques in victim identification. Frank is a graduate of the University of New Mexico where he obtained his BS in Biology and Physical Anthropology and a master’s degree in forensic Anthropology and Public Administration. He is a Fellow in the American Academy of Forensic Science, Diplomat- American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators, former U.S Representative to Interpol serving on the International Victim Identification Committee and Vice-President of Aviation Emergency Response Organization (AERO).