Environmental Response

Preparedness

Preparedness is being prepared for the unexpected. It is the task of pre-planning for events or emergencies which may or may not occur.

In order to be able to respond to a marine pollution incident, the Canadian Coast Guard must be prepared to do so.

Contingency Planning

In Canada, government departments, private sector organizations and industry representatives have been developing and maintaining contingency plans for many years. Contingency planning takes place at all levels of governments.

The Canadian Coast Guard is the branch of the federal government with legislative authority and the responsibility for marine spill preparedness and response in Canadian waters. Other federal government departments are also contingency plan holders with supporting responsibilities for marine spill response. Provincial and territorial governments also play a role in response preparedness and consequently, need to develop and maintain contingency plans.

• ER National Response Plan
• International Agreements

Training

Canadian Coast Guard Completes Environmental Emergency Response Training Exercise in Resolute, Nunavut
August 26, 2010 - Sarnia, Ontario

The Environmental Response training program is designed to ensure that all ER personnel are well trained and able to effectively respond to a marine pollution incident. The training program consists of 5 separate courses, each building on one another. Refresher training as well as exercising are other key components of the overall training program.

Exercising

In order to adequately evaluate the effectiveness of procedures, equipment and resources identified in contingency plans, exercises should be conducted in coordination with ship, oil handling facilities, response organizations and the Canadian Coast Guard. These exercises are realistic simulations of various types of marine pollution incidents.

International Exercises

Canada works with other nations to exercise contingency plans developed cooperatively to ensure efficient response operations. For example, Canada and the United States have a Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan that encompasses five area plans. A requirement of these area plans is to exercise them on a regular basis to ensure an appropriate level of response preparedness.

Provision of a response capacity

Government Demonstrates Canada’s Robust Environmental Disaster Response Capacity
June 16, 2010 - Miramichi, New Brunswick

The Canadian Coast Guard maintains a cadre of specialized pollution response equipment. This equipment is distributed across the country dependent upon the risk of pollution associated with a particular area.

There are more than 80 staffed equipment depot sites across Canada. In addition, each region has a group of highly trained responders and marine pollution incident managers totalling some 80 personnel across the country.  All regions maintain an Environmental Response Duty Officer 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  

• Map of ER Equipment Depot Sites

Response Mangement System

The Canadian Coast Guard Response Management System has been designed to aid Environmental Response personnel monitor or respond to marine pollution incidents or other natural or manmade disasters. It has been accepted as the management system used by the Environmental Response Program in all monitoring/response operations to incidents and exercises.

The Response Management System is an organization that provides the necessary coordination to facilitate effective and efficient monitoring or response operations to an incident. It is based upon a structure with clear lines of authority and an appropriate span of control, facilitated by common terminology. Specifically, with respect to Environmental Response, the Response Management System is a management system designed to:

• Maximize the efficiency of monitoring or response efforts;
• Manage and execute operational objectives to mitigate the effects of pollution;
• Coordinate and manage human and equipment resources;
• Facilitate effective communications within the RMS structure and to all stakeholders;
• Document the actions of responders and account for their expenditures; and,
• Support the transition from "reacting" to "managing" the incident.

The RMS is based upon a "management by objectives" philosophy where objectives are established based upon the needs of the circumstances. This embedded philosophy allows for the use of this system in virtually any situation requiring a response, regardless of severity.