Training offers insider's view

Should Harrah's Entertainment Inc. ever face a catastrophic aviation accident, one of its risk control managers will have an insider's view of federal investigation procedures.

The risk control manager, Greg Hanusey, enrolled in a recent 11-day aircraft accident investigation course offered by the National Transportation Safety Board's training center in Ashburn, Va.

The center teaches investigation techniques to federal investigators and the members of the nation's "transportation community," according to the NTSB.

Harrah's owns several aircraft, and charter operators carry guests to its properties more than 1,000 times each year.

Should one of those aircraft ever crash, the NTSB training will help Harrah's risk management department gain better understanding of the federal investigation that will surely follow, said Lance J. Ewing, vp-risk management for the gaming and entertainment company.

The information could prove useful to help minimize litigation, among other things.

"It gives us an opportunity to find out what is (happening) on the other side of the yellow tape they put up in a crash situation," Mr. Ewing said. "It gives us more opportunity to dialogue with the investigators. It gives us the opportunity to get information we normally wouldn't have gotten unless it was through legal channels, and I would much rather discuss than litigate."

It also helps the risk control manager meet Mr. Ewing's requirement that his staff continually upgrade their risk management education.