Section 7 - Response Objectives & Initial Strategies

Objective Strategy
1. Ensure the safety of the public and response personnel The Safety Officer:
  • Develops a Site Safety and Health Plan
  • Obtains a MSDS sheet for all products spilled and lists the potential hazards and personnel protective equipment to be worn by responders.
  • Establishes control of all sites impacted (hot, cold and warm zones, and works with Logistics to secure these zones).
  • Executes authority to stop operations where unsafe practices or hazards exist. This includes evacuating areas, and/or implementing restrictions for vessels and/or aircraft within the impacted areas.
  • Arranges for air monitoring/testing in areas where there are clean up operations or potential impacts.
  • Ensures all tailgate and staff safety meetings/briefings are conducted and issues are addressed immediately.
  • Works with Logistics to ensure all areas impacted are secure and that the public, media and other interested parties request access through controlled channels.
2. Control the source of the spill The tactics meeting defines who completes each action. Following this, the responsible party, response personnel, and/or agency personnel carry out these actions:
  • Carry out emergency shut down procedures as specified in the contingency plan. This also stops the flow of the product.
  • Conduct fire fighting, where applicable and safe. Transfer and/or lighter the product if conditions are safe to do so.
  • Conduct salvage operations, where applicable.
3. Manage a coordinated response effort
  • Command verifies all facts regarding the incident (e.g., injuries, volumes, products, stability, chance of fire, ignition sources, weather conditions and whether the area is secure or not).
  • Command confirms notifications are complete and/or underway, and requests an update for each briefing.
  • Logistics establishes an Incident Command Post, and where applicable, a Unified/Coordinated Command organization.
  • Command ensures that the Regional Environmental Emergency Team (REET) is established and has a defined role in both Command and Planning.
  • Liaison Officer ensures a subcommittee of REET (could be MSCC group) can represent the interests and concerns of all stakeholders, and review and endorse the objectives/strategies.
  • Liaison Officer ensures local communities, including Aboriginal members, environmental societies and political appointees have a forum to communicate their issues, concerns and/or identify potential resources. They may join the REET with one spokesperson per interested stakeholder.
  • Unified Command, BCO Spill Response Manager, and R.P. Incident Commander reviews, endorses and/or approves the Incident Action Plan (IAP) and General Long Range Plan.
  • Unified Command conducts debriefs on the execution of the objectives for the operating periods defined in the IAP.
  • Planning ensures tracking of all resources, including personnel and equipment.
  • Planning consolidates all documentation within the Documentation Unit.
4. Maximize the protection of environmentally sensitive areas Operations develops protection tactics as part of the execution of the strategies. Planning:
  • Utilizes the expertise of the REET to identify and prioritize the environmentally sensitive areas.
  • Reviews contingency plans and/or response scenario plans for pre-defined and agreed upon sensitivities for the area(s) impacted.
  • If already formulated as part of a contingency plan, executes the strategies to protect the sensitivities. Otherwise, it develops these through its section.
  • Develops trajectory models for tracking oil movement and request over-flights to verify /update the models.
5. Contain and recover the spilled oil/material Operations deploys containment and deflective boom to collect the oil or protect areas of sensitivity.
  • Operations conducts skimming operations: 1/ open water with vessels 2/ as part of containment boom recovery system.
  • Planning evaluates the use of alternative countermeasures such as in situ burning or dispersants. Alternative countermeasures require the approval of the appropriate government agencies.
  • Planning develops a short and long term disposal plan for both bulk liquids and waste materials.
6. Recover and rehabilitate injured wildlife
  • Establish a hot line for reporting wildlife issues.
  • Assist agencies/societies to establish a primary care area and rehabilitation center for wildlife.
  • Coordinate volunteer groups.
  • Coordinate the injured wildlife search and rescue operations.
7. Remove oil from impacted shoreline areas
  • Planning initiates SCAT Operations for all shoreline impacted areas.
  • Operations conducts clean up efforts on shorelines, oil structures (e.g., docks) and /or vessels impacted by the spill.
8. Keep stakeholders informed of response activities
  • Planning works with the Liaison Officer for public and local government/port input regarding economic issues/concerns.
  • Planning considers economic impacts created on tourism, the vessel operations in areas impacted, local industry, beaches impacted, private docks and waterfront properties in the area.
  • Planning/Operations plan and protect the above areas as resources and priorities permit.
  • Finance or the R.P. establishes a claims center hotline and damage assessment process (if requested by the R.P.).
9. Keep the public informed of response activities Note: The R.P. is accountable to update the Stakeholders. However, it may request the assistance/support of the R.O. to explain the strategies being implemented.
  • Liaison Officer schedules a meeting(s) for stakeholders to obtain information and express concerns.
  • Liaison Officer provides factual information regarding the response actions to all stakeholder and public officials. Ensures that both Command and R.P. endorse the facts.
10. Minimize economic impacts Note: The R.P. is accountable to update the Stakeholders. However, it may request the assistance/support of the R.O. to explain the strategies being implemented.
  • Command/Operations assists the R.P. and/or government agencies, where applicable, in the communication of response strategies and progress (e.g. media, public meetings).
  • R.P. Information Officer establishes a communications centre to share the latest spill information and a call centre that the public can access to share spill information that they may have. Safety Officer arranges for public safety notices, where applicable.