IMPROVING REGIONAL RESPONSE: PLAN HOLDERS, RESPONDERS, AND GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION ON MUTUAL AID

Abstract

ABSTRACT The States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force adopted a Mutual Aid Plan in July 1993 in which the members agreed to expedite all decisions relating to mutual aid requests among themselves. However, the plan was limited to reciprocal efforts by the task force member agencies and did not affect private sector response resources. It was understood that in order to cascade response resources into other jurisdictions, certain task force members might have to release some local facility and vessel owners (plan holders) from full compliance with their response plans. To address this problem, the task force established a Mutual Aid Workgroup that consisted of government and industry participants, and it tasked its members to evaluate options and recommend policies and procedures that would maximize the opportunity for rapid mutual aid. Based on the recommendations of this work group, a 1996 Mutual Aid Agreement was signed that established policies and implementation procedures whereby mutual aid, if requested through the unified command, can be preapproved during responses to West Coast spills. The agreement also includes related recommendations regarding private sector agreements, equipment inventories, and transboundary spill response.