Frg controller expressed concern regarding facility staffing levels.

Attributes
ACN	673536
Time
Date	200509
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : frg.tower
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller limited radar : 7 controller radar : 1
ASRS Report	673536
Events
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	staffing : frg.tower

Narrative:

I am an ATC specialist at republic tower; farmingdale; ny. Republic airport is the third busiest airport in new york state. Management has refused to staff the facility to cover required shifts at the tower with personnel. Shifts are not being properly covered resulting in controllers who are working not getting relief from busy operating position and enough personnel to cover operating positions. On saturday; management refused to call in additional personnel to cover shift resulting in 2 (I was one) controllers working until XF00 from XA00 without proper relief and coverage. At times one controller was left in cabin attendant while the other controller needed to use restroom and take break. Consider this to be hazard to public safety and possible contributing factor for a potential operational error; incident or accident. Management needs to staff the facility with controllers. Controllers working without proper relief were fatigued and working busy traffic leaving open possible liability issues to agency and themselves.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FRG CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING FACILITY STAFFING LEVELS.

Narrative: I AM AN ATC SPECIALIST AT REPUBLIC TWR; FARMINGDALE; NY. REPUBLIC ARPT IS THE THIRD BUSIEST ARPT IN NEW YORK STATE. MGMNT HAS REFUSED TO STAFF THE FACILITY TO COVER REQUIRED SHIFTS AT THE TWR WITH PERSONNEL. SHIFTS ARE NOT BEING PROPERLY COVERED RESULTING IN CTLRS WHO ARE WORKING NOT GETTING RELIEF FROM BUSY OPERATING POS AND ENOUGH PERSONNEL TO COVER OPERATING POSITIONS. ON SATURDAY; MGMNT REFUSED TO CALL IN ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO COVER SHIFT RESULTING IN 2 (I WAS ONE) CTLRS WORKING UNTIL XF00 FROM XA00 WITHOUT PROPER RELIEF AND COVERAGE. AT TIMES ONE CTLR WAS LEFT IN CAB WHILE THE OTHER CTLR NEEDED TO USE RESTROOM AND TAKE BREAK. CONSIDER THIS TO BE HAZARD TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR FOR A POTENTIAL OPERROR; INCIDENT OR ACCIDENT. MGMNT NEEDS TO STAFF THE FACILITY WITH CTLRS. CTLRS WORKING WITHOUT PROPER RELIEF WERE FATIGUED AND WORKING BUSY TFC LEAVING OPEN POSSIBLE LIABILITY ISSUES TO AGENCY AND THEMSELVES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.