Canada-United States Joint Marine
Pollution Contingency Plan, Pacific Annex |
| (JCP-CANUSPAC EXERCISE) |
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| August 30, 2004 |
Aerial view of the W.C.
Park Responder on her way to the exercise off the
Vancouver Island. |
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On May 3, 4 and 5, 2004, MSRC's Pacific/Northwest Region
participated in a groundbreaking the annual cross-border
Oil Spill Response Exercise between Canada and the United
States . This Exercise was jointly planned and executed by
the United States and Canadian Coast Guard s , the Canadian
Coast Guard included the activati ng on of the Canada-United
States Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan, Pacific Annex
(JCP-CANUSPAC) to test the transportation of oil spill response
equipment and trained response personnel across the international
border during a simulated oil spill emergency . CANUSPAC
Exercises have been in place for several years, but this
year's exercise was not only designed to review and practice
the standard joint response operations, but also to focus
attention toward other common goals such as responder safety,
communications, wildlife response guidelines, and customs
and immigration cross border protocols.
Canadian Coast Guard Vessel,
Bartlett participating in the exercise. |
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Participating United States agencies and organizations included
the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S Customs and Border Protection,
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department
of Commerce - NOAA/Olympic Marine Sanctuary, U.S. Department
of Interior (Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. National Park
Service), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington
State Departments of Ecology, Fish & Wildlife and Natural
Resources, the Makah Tribe, Marine Spill Response Corporation,
Clean Sound Cooperative, and National Response Corporation.
Canadian agencies and organizations included the British
Columbia Ministry of Water, Land & Air Protection, Burrard
Clean Cooperative, Canadian Coast Guard, Canada Revenue Agency,
Canada Border Service Agency, Canadian Department of National
Defense, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, First
Nations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Oiled Wildlife Society
of British Columbia and Transport Canada Marine Safety.
Canadian Coast Guard Messerschmitt BO-106 Helicopter doing touch and go landings
on the W.C. Park Responder. |
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The Exercise began on Monday, May 3rd with the spill scenario
involving a tanker inbound to Vancouver, BC colliding with
a coastal freighter at noon . The impact damaged the tanker's
steering and it runs aground near Race Rocks off Vancouver
Island and sustains bottom damage and a subsequent oil spill.
Later, trajectories indicate that the oil will impact the
outer shorelines of Washington State within a few days .
On May 4 th , participating response resources, including
the W. C. Park Responder, deployed to the scene.
Over a dozen vessel s were gathered as an on-water task
force and managed by the Task Force Leader (Canadian Coast
Guard) . Of particular relevance to MSRC was the use of the
W. C. Park Responder as the Task Force Leader's on water
command platform. Within the Command and Control Center on
the W.C. Park Responder, UHF and VHF marine and aviation
channels, satellite and cells phones and faxes were all used
to communicate between the U.S. Command Post in Port Angeles,
the Canadian Command Post in Victoria, and all vessels in
the task force .
Canadian Coast Guard Vessel, Bartlett, Burrard Clean and the W.C. Park Responder
moored in Victoria, British Columbia. |
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Following the exercise , all vessels tied up in Victoria
for the evening. A debrief was held at the Canadian Coast
Guard Station the next morning. A number of lessons were
learned and action items developed as follow-up.
Also of note d D uring the exercise, a Canadian Coast Guard
Messerschmitt BO-106 Helicopter did several touch-and-go
landings on board the helideck of the W. C. Park Responder .
As a result, the process is underway for MSRC's Oil Spill
Response Vessels to be certified for Canadian Coast Guard
helicopter operations.
All agreed it was a successful event with excellent coordination
between the private and government sectors. The teaming interaction
between MSRC, Clean Sound, and Burrard Clean Operations continues
to benefit the Puget Sound response network.
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