Chris Davidson
Assistant Airport Manager
Salisbury-Ocean City:
Wicomico Regional Airport
5485 Airport Rd Suite A
Salisbury, MD 21804
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Salisbury, MD – 3-9-2021 – Salisbury Regional Airport (SBY) has announced that it has achieved Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ accreditation, the gold standard for prepared facilities. Under the guidance of GBAC, a Division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, SBY has implemented the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention in the terminal and other airport buildings.
As the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation, GBAC STAR™ helps organizations establish protocols and procedures, offers expert-led training and assesses a facility’s readiness for biorisk situations. The program verifies that SBY implements best practices to prepare for, respond to and recover from outbreaks and pandemics.
"GBAC STAR accreditation empowers facility owners and managers to assure workers, customers and key stakeholders that they have proven systems in place to maintain clean and healthy environments," said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. "By taking this important step to pursue GBAC STAR, SBY has received third-party validation that it follows strict protocols for biorisk situations, thereby demonstrating its preparedness and commitment to operating safely."
To achieve GBAC STAR™ accreditation, Salisbury Regional Airport was required to demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 core elements, which range from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response measures. Learn more about GBAC STAR accreditation at www.gbac.org.
SBY is one of only two regularly scheduled passenger service airports in Maryland and home to the only based airline in the state. During the summer of 1940, Wicomico County and the City of Salisbury began construction of the airport. Originally encompassing 695 acres, but as of today, the airport spans over 1,000 acres. Officially opening its doors on November 11, 1943, SBY was leased to the U.S. Navy as a training base during World War II up through 1945. Over the years, SBY has grown to house industries such as American Airlines, Maryland State Police, FedEx, Perdue, WBOC, Bay Land Aviation as well as several flying clubs and flight training.
Composed of international leaders in the field of microbial-pathogenic threat analysis, mitigation, response and recovery, the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, provides training, guidance, accreditation, certification, crisis management assistance and leadership to government, commercial and private entities looking to mitigate, quickly address and/or recover from biological threats and real-time crises. The organization's services include biorisk management program assessment and training, Forensic Restoration® response and remediation, the GBAC STAR™ facility accreditation program, training and certification of individuals and consulting for building owners and facility managers. For more information, visit www.gbac.org.
With more than 9,300 members—including distributors, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, building service contractors, in-house service providers, residential cleaners and associated service members—ISSA is the world's leading trade association for the cleaning industry. The association is committed to changing the way the world views cleaning by providing its members with the business tools they need to promote cleaning as an investment in human health, the environment and an improved bottom line. Headquartered in Northbrook, Ill., USA, the association has regional offices in Mainz, Germany; Whitby, Canada; Parramatta, Australia; Seoul, South Korea; and Shanghai, China. For more information about ISSA, visit www.issa.com or call 800-225-4772 (North America) or 847-982-0800.
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