Section 13 - Communications
The information below has been extracted from Chapter 8 of the BCO Oil Spill Response Plan.
| Telephone |
| Landline |
|
10 portable sets in the Burnaby office |
|
| |
|
0 portable sets in the Vancouver Island office |
|
| Cellular |
Staff |
All BCO employees have cellular phones |
|
| |
Extra |
4 in Burnaby office (in electronics cabinet) |
Ops keep #'s |
| |
Vehicles |
#124 (Ford 150), in Burnaby |
604-250-2272 |
| |
|
#125 (Ford 450), in Burnaby |
604-970-0606 |
| |
Comm. Cen |
1 located in Burnaby |
604-202-8275 |
| Satellite |
Comm. Cen |
1 located in Burnaby - Westinghouse Series 1000 |
600-700-1063 |
| Radio |
| UHF |
|
10 portable sets in the Burnaby office |
| |
Staff |
6 portables in the Burnaby office |
| |
|
1 portable in the Vancouver Island office |
| |
Extra |
4 in Burnaby office (in electronics cabinet) |
| |
Vehicles |
#126 (Ford 150), in Cobble Hill |
| |
|
#125 (Ford 450), in Burnaby |
| |
|
#127 (Ford 250), in Burnaby |
| |
Vessels |
#9 1 homebase/Esquimalt |
| |
|
#10 6 homebase/Esquimalt |
| |
|
#11 1 homebase/Esquimalt |
| |
|
#6 1 homebase/Nanaimo |
| |
|
#8 1 homebase/Vancouver Harbour - Burnaby |
| |
|
#2 1 homebase/Vancouver Harbour - Burnaby |
| |
|
#7 1 homebase/Vancouver Harbour - Burnaby |
| |
|
#1 1 homebase/Vancouver Harbour - Burnaby |
| |
Comm. Cen |
2 fixed (Motorola), located in Burnaby |
| |
|
1 cross band repeater, with 2 CDM 1250's (Motorola) |
| |
|
11 portable (5 Standard/6 HT750 Motorola) |
| |
|
1 portable UHF repeater |
| VHF |
Office |
1 portable marine radio in the Vancouver Island office |
| |
|
2 portable marine radios in the Burnaby office |
| |
Comm. Van |
2 (Raytheon 90's), located in Burnaby |
| |
Vessels |
#9 2 homebase/Esquimalt |
| |
|
#10 2 homebase/Esquimalt |
| |
|
#11 2 homebase/Esquimalt |
| |
|
#6 1 homebase/Nanaimo |
| |
|
#8 2 homebase/Vancouver Harbour - Burnaby |
| |
|
#2 1 homebase/Vancouver Harbour - Burnaby |
| |
|
#7 1 homebase/Vancouver Harbour - Burnaby |
| |
|
#5 1 homebase/Vancouver Harbour - Burnaby |
| |
|
#20 1 homebase/Vancouver Harbour - Burnaby |
| |
|
#21 1 homebase/Prince Rupert |
| FRS |
Office |
2 portable radios in the Vancouver Island office |
| |
|
4 portable radios in the Burnaby office |
| SSB |
Vessels |
#9 1 homebase/Esquimalt |
| |
|
#11 1 homebase/Esquimalt |
| |
|
#8 1 homebase/Vancouver Harbour - Burnaby |
| |
Comm. Cen |
1 located in Burnaby (Raytheon 152) |
| Base Stations |
| UHF |
1 fixed unit in the Burnaby office - comes with 2 remote handsets |
| |
2 portable ones in the Burnaby office |
| VHF |
1 on BCO #10 in Esquimalt |
| Repeaters |
| UHF |
Comm. Cen |
1 portable repeater - standard |
| |
Vessels |
1 repeater on #10 - homebase/Esquimalt |
| Repeater Stations |
| 1 repeater & antenna on Mount Seymour |
(North Vancouver/Deep Cove) |
| 1 repeater & antenna on Mount Helmcken |
(Vancouver Island) |
| 1 repeater & antenna on Mount Constitution |
(Washington State, MSRC) |
| Transponders |
| Vessels |
#9 1 MCC tracking & comms |
homebase/Esquimalt |
| |
#10 1 MCC tracking & comms |
homebase/Esquimalt |
| |
#11 1 MCC tracking & comms |
homebase/Esquimalt |
| |
#6 1 MCC tracking & comms |
homebase/Nanaimo |
| |
#8 1 MCC tracking & comms |
homebase/Vancouver Harbour - Burnaby |
| |
#2 1 MCC tracking & comms |
homebase/Vancouver Harbour - Burnaby |
| |
#7 1 MCC tracking & comms |
homebase/Vancouver Harbour - Burnaby |
| Internet |
| Wireless |
Staff |
4 laptops with wireless capability (YFI cards) - dedicated to 1) Command, 2) Operations, 3) Planning, and 4) Logistics |
| |
Comm. Cen |
1 IBM Net Vista computer & modem line |
| Server |
Office |
Main server in Burnaby office |
| |
|
Support:
- Coastal Network - John Andrews - tel: 604-473-2143
- Island On-Site Island Computer Consulting - Frank Essiambre - tel: 250-713-6622
|
| |
Extra |
5 wireless cards in Burnaby office |
| |
|
To purchase - see Supplier List, Section 10.1 |
| NOTE: |
For more information |
Contact BCO Logistics for IT support |
| Fax |
| Office |
1 permanent unit in the Vancouver Island office |
| |
1 semi-permanent unit in the Vancouver Island office |
| |
2 permanent units in the Burnaby office |
| Comm. Cen |
1 weather fax unit, in Burnaby |
| |
1 regular unit, in Burnaby (Porta Fax) |
| Photocopiers |
| Office |
1 permanent unit in the Vancouver Island office - 3 copies/minute (HP Office Jet K60) |
| |
1 semi-permanent unit in the Vancouver Island office - 2 copies/minute (Xerox 5222) |
| |
2 permanent units in the Burnaby office - 45 copies/minute (Ricoh Atcio 1035) and 22 copies/minute (Mita DC-3055) |
| Comm. Cen |
1 weather fax unit, in Burnaby |
| |
1 facsimile that can used as a copier (slow) |
| Extra |
Rent from Ray's Copier Service, Burnaby (tel: 604-437-6485, model: Canon 6012) - 10 copies/minute |
| Printers |
| Office |
1 bubble jet printer in the Vancouver Island office |
| |
1 bubble jet printer in Burnaby |
| Comm. Van |
1 Hewlett/Packard Deskjet printer |
| Extra |
Rent from Ray's Copier Service, Burnaby (tel: 604-437-6485, model: Canon 6012) - 10 copies/minute |
| Audio Conferencing |
| Office |
1 Polycom Soundstation in Burnaby |
| |
1 bubble jet printer in Burnaby |
| Comm. Van |
1 Hewlett/Packard Deskjet printer |
| Extra |
Rent from Ray's Copier Service, Burnaby (tel: 604-437-6485, model: Canon 6012) - 10 copies/minute |
| Miscellaneous |
| Office |
1 video projector in Burnaby |
| |
1 television & stand in Burnaby |
| |
1 Panasonic Panaboard in Burnaby |
| Comm. Cen |
1 Panasonic Panaboard in Burnaby |
| Extra |
1 dictaphone |
Communications System
The primary communications network is capable of total coverage throughout the spill operating area. The CCG provides public VHF capabilities that encompass over 98% coverage on the BC coast. Backup systems, comprising single-side band and relays and satellite communications, provide a wide range of coverage that may extend beyond the immediate spill operations area.
WCMRC/BCO operates its own secure licensed UHF frequencies via a network of fixed and portable receivers. WCMRC/BCO operates a UHF repeater from the top of Mount Seymour which together with repeaters operated by Clean Sound Cooperative in the United States, allows communication with response resources as far away as Buoy “J” at the mouth of Juan de Fuca Strait.
For small spills, normal vessel communications equipment will be sufficient to direct and coordinate on site cleanup personnel. All BCO response vessels have fixed VHF equipment and will be assigned intrinsically safe UHF hand held radio equipment for routine communication between skimmer crews. For larger spills, communications between BCO cleanup personnel and its contractors are directed by the BCO Communications Unit Leader. Priorities will be set with critical operations communications dedicated to particular frequencies in order to avoid communication hindrances.
Communications Resources
BCO maintains a variety of communications equipment distributed on its vessels and in one major communications centre. This equipment includes portable VHF and UHF units, UHF repeaters, single-side band radios, weather reception facsimile machines, computer modem lines, satellite telephone and cellular telephones.
BCO has two portable UHF base units which can be dispatched to the field for establishing remote site UHF capability between an operations centre, field posts, and vessel crews. In the event of a spill in an area where line-of-sight communications equipment is not adequate, these units will be used to maintain communications between response personnel and BCO spill management. Land phone lines and/or mobile phones and local pager systems may also be used to maintain communications between field response crews and the operations centre. In addition to cellular phones, BCO vessels can be reached through local marine operators on VHF frequencies or they can reach shore through this system. For offshore operations, the vessels can operate on single sideband and use a marine operator service if needed.
Emergency telephones for the operations centre, field posts, and other needs can be installed by the local telephone company, usually within 24 to 72 hours.
Facsimile machines will be used to receive spill trajectories, messages, memorandums, and drawings.