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portance of expressing empathy and understanding for the 
gravity of what they’re going through. Empathy may be the 
most important trait one can display when dealing with an 
accident. It doesn’t mean saying you’re sorry that you caused 
the accident but expressing sorrow that this has happened 
to them. “Tell them that you care,” Inman said. “That will 
probably make the biggest difference that you can do in the 
initial days and months of the investigation.”
When an attendee asked about this point during the Q&A, 
Inman acknowledged that some may advise that silence is 
a better option. However, silence can speak volumes. He 
pointed out that the operator is part of the community 
where they do business and will remain so. It is meaningful 
not only to the families involved, but to the community at 
large when an operator stands up and expresses empathy 
for what has occurred. 
Culture within an organization matters greatly. “When cul-
ture and policy clash, culture always wins,” Inman said. The 
best policy or manual is ineffective if the people in the com-
pany don’t believe in it and carry it through. Culture comes 
from the top and it’s important to let people know they can 
say no or share an opinion, but they can’t stop all progress. 
Inman took time to recognize good Samaritan mariners 
whom he referred to as the unsung heroes of transporta-
tion disasters. After 9/11, after the plane crash commonly 
known as the “miracle on the Hudson,” after the Sandy 
Ground ferry fire, passenger vessels were among the first 
responders. “Safety is not just compliance,” Inman said. 
“It’s preparation, it’s partnership. It’s culture. It’s step-
ping forward when others step back.” These actions must 
be applauded. 
He invited Captain Nate Handy and Chad Barth from 
City Cruises to join him on stage and talk about their op-
eration’s role in the response to the midair crash at Ronald 
Regan Washington National Airport in January 2025. A 
dinner cruise had just returned to the dock about a half 
hour before the crash. The captain noticed a heavy police 
response from the neighboring harbor police facility and 
within minutes, two firemen and a police officer let them-
selves in through the operation’s gate with a fob previously 
given to them by City Cruises. The captain on duty called 
Handy to inform him that they were dropping line and 
heading to the scene of the crash to assist first responders. 
There were some operational considerations that night. The 
vessel was one of the smaller ones in the fleet but was used 
as it was already in service. It had just returned from a cruise 
and disembarked guests, so the water tank hadn’t been re-
plenished, the sewage hadn’t been pumped, and it hadn’t 
been refueled. As such, the boat could only remain on scene 
for 24 to 36 hours. Maintaining compliance with their COI 
and the 12-hour watch standing was also top of mind. The 
police department helped by running shuttles for the crew. 
City Cruises was able to support the NTSB, DC Fire and 
EMS, Metropolitan Police, the divers, and all the agencies 
and teams that responded to the crash. They stayed on the 
scene for six days, offering food, shelter, and warmth in 
frigid temperatures. 
FOGHORN FOCUS
“Tell them that you care,” 
Inman said. “That will 
probably make the  
biggest difference that  
you can do in the  
initial days and months  
of the investigation.”
“Safety is not just  
compliance,” Inman said. 
“It’s preparation, it’s  
partnership. It’s culture. 
It’s stepping forward  
when others step back.”

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