Narrative:

I was working sector xx of ZNY this morning. Staffing was low. There does not seem to be any specific number of staffing required for the area so to say that it was low is just a judgement on my part. There were no special circumstances or other complicating factors and the WX did not impact operations. I started to get a little busy and looked around to see if I could get the supervisor's attention. There was no supervisor around and there was no controller in charge. I was subsequently told that this was so because we did not have anyone to assign to controller in charge duty. I asked for an 'H' (assistant) help a couple of times but to no avail as everyone within earshot was busy with their own duties. There were no operrors during the session. I refused to accept one aircraft; did not provide proper service to one aircraft and used up a bit of luck to cope with what built up to heavy traffic. The session ended without incident. The reason that I write this report is to document my superior's response to this event. When the supervisor returned I explained to him what happened and asked him if he had any way of recording it anywhere that a situation had arisen where increased staffing would have definitely helped provide better and safer service without having to stretch things to the limit. He agreed absolutely and said that it would be done. Later on that morning; the supervisor came to me and said that he was told that if I wanted the event recorded in any way I would have to speak directly with the area manager. I did not follow up because I did not feel it would be welcomed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZNY CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING LACK OF AVAILABLE STAFFING DURING BUSY SHIFT WHEN HDOF CTLR WAS NEEDED.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING SECTOR XX OF ZNY THIS MORNING. STAFFING WAS LOW. THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ANY SPECIFIC NUMBER OF STAFFING REQUIRED FOR THE AREA SO TO SAY THAT IT WAS LOW IS JUST A JUDGEMENT ON MY PART. THERE WERE NO SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OR OTHER COMPLICATING FACTORS AND THE WX DID NOT IMPACT OPS. I STARTED TO GET A LITTLE BUSY AND LOOKED AROUND TO SEE IF I COULD GET THE SUPVR'S ATTN. THERE WAS NO SUPVR AROUND AND THERE WAS NO CIC. I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TOLD THAT THIS WAS SO BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE ANYONE TO ASSIGN TO CIC DUTY. I ASKED FOR AN 'H' (ASSISTANT) HELP A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT TO NO AVAIL AS EVERYONE WITHIN EARSHOT WAS BUSY WITH THEIR OWN DUTIES. THERE WERE NO OPERRORS DURING THE SESSION. I REFUSED TO ACCEPT ONE ACFT; DID NOT PROVIDE PROPER SVC TO ONE ACFT AND USED UP A BIT OF LUCK TO COPE WITH WHAT BUILT UP TO HVY TFC. THE SESSION ENDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE REASON THAT I WRITE THIS RPT IS TO DOCUMENT MY SUPERIOR'S RESPONSE TO THIS EVENT. WHEN THE SUPVR RETURNED I EXPLAINED TO HIM WHAT HAPPENED AND ASKED HIM IF HE HAD ANY WAY OF RECORDING IT ANYWHERE THAT A SITUATION HAD ARISEN WHERE INCREASED STAFFING WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY HELPED PROVIDE BETTER AND SAFER SVC WITHOUT HAVING TO STRETCH THINGS TO THE LIMIT. HE AGREED ABSOLUTELY AND SAID THAT IT WOULD BE DONE. LATER ON THAT MORNING; THE SUPVR CAME TO ME AND SAID THAT HE WAS TOLD THAT IF I WANTED THE EVENT RECORDED IN ANY WAY I WOULD HAVE TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH THE AREA MGR. I DID NOT FOLLOW UP BECAUSE I DID NOT FEEL IT WOULD BE WELCOMED.

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.