MULTI-PLAN-HOLDER EXERCISES: A COST-EFFECTIVE PREPAREDNESS APPROACH

Abstract

ABSTRACT Facilities, vessels, and pipelines regulated under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90), whether owned by a major international corporation or a small local company, face organizational and technical difficulties in their efforts to comply with the Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP). Response exercises are but one priority competing for the plan holder's time, personnel, and budget dollars. Operators typically lack the in-house expertise and staff to design and conduct effective exercises or to budget dollars to contract for outside support. These problems could adversely affect the plan holders and impact their ability to work within a unified command during a spill. This paper discusses the obstacles to maintaining an adequate level of preparedness through traditional exercises and describes a cost-effective, innovative approach to exercises. By working with other plan holders in the area to conduct a combination workshop and exercise for each participating company, each operator can reduce costs, improve the value of exercises, and exercise facility plans in a unique and highly focused manner. The paper discusses the key issues of designing scenarios for each plan holder in a multi-plan-holder exercise while maintaining the focus of the workshop, the value to the predesignated on-scene coordinator, and the synergistic effects of plan holders learning from one another.