Emergency Airports  Emergency Obstruction Video Map (EOVM)  Responsibility  Escort  A-6  An escort aircraft, if available, should consider and evaluate an appropriate formation. Special consideration must be  given if maneuvers take the aircraft through clouds. Aircraft should not execute an in-flight join up during emergency  conditions unless both crews involved are familiar with and capable of formation flight and can communicate and have  visual contact with each other.  Although 121.5 megahertz and 243.0 megahertz are emergency frequencies, the pilot should keep the aircraft on the  initial contact frequency. The pilot should change frequencies only when a valid reason exists. When necessary, and  if weather and circumstances permit, ATC should recommend that aircraft maintain or increase altitude to improve  communications, radar, or DF reception.  ATC, in communication with an aircraft in distress, should handle the emergency and coordinate and direct the activities  of assisting facilities. ATC will not transfer this responsibility to another facility unless that facility can better handle the  situation. When an ATC facility receives information about an aircraft in distress, they forward detailed data to the center  in the area of the emergency. Centers serve as central points for collecting information, coordinating with search and  rescue (SAR) and distributing information to appropriate agencies.  When providing emergency vectoring service, the controller advises the pilot that any headings issued are emergency  advisories intended only to direct the aircraft toward and over an area of lower terrain/obstacle elevation. Altitudes and  obstructions depicted on the EOVM are actual altitudes and locations of the obstacle/terrain and contain no lateral or  vertical buffers for obstruction clearance.  Note: Appropriate terrain/obstacle clearance minimum altitudes may be defined as minimum IFR altitude (MIA), minimum  en route altitude (MEA), minimum obstacle clearance altitude (MOCA), or minimum vectoring altitude (MVA).  The emergency obstruction video map (EOVM) is intended to facilitate advisory service in an emergency situation when  appropriate terrain/obstacle clearance minimum altitude cannot be maintained. The EOVM, and the service provided,  are used only under the following conditions:  ATC personnel consider how much remaining fuel in relation to the distance to the airport and weather conditions  when recommending an emergency airport to aircraft requiring assistance. Depending on the nature of the emergency,  certain weather phenomena may deserve weighted consideration. A pilot may elect to fly further to land at an airport  with VFR conditions instead of closer airfield with IFR conditions. Other considerations are airport conditions, NAVAID  status, aircraft type, pilot’s qualifications, and vectoring or homing capability to the emergency airport. In addition,  ATC and pilots should determine which guidance can be used to fly to the emergency airport. The following options  may be available:  •  Radar •  DF • Following another aircraft  •  NAVAIDs • Pilotage by landmarks  • Compass headings  1. The pilot has declared an emergency.  2. The controller has determined an emergency condition exists or is imminent because of the pilots inability to  maintain an appropriate terrain/obstacle clearance minimum altitude. 