POTENTIAL PLACES OF REFUGE FOR SHIPS IN DISTRESS–THE CALIFORNIA APPROACH TO DEVELOPING DATA CAPTURE AND DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES

Abstract

ABSTRACT California'S coastal Area Contingency Planning Committees began the process to develop “California Distressed Vessel/Potential Places of Refuge (PPOR)” data-gathering and decision-making tools in July 2006. The first step in this process was for members of California'S statewide Area Contingency Plan (ACP) Committee to be open to the possibility they may allow a distressed vessels into their backyard. Next, they were challenged with representing non-situational data in a common data collection format for use by all six California coastal Area Committees. Modeled largely on the PPOR products developed in Alaska, the committee relied on the Regional Response Team IX Guidelines, and the Commandant Instruction (COMDTINST) 16451.9 U.S. Coast Guard Places of Refuge Policy Enclosure (2) (POR Job Aid) resources. Stakeholder involvement throughout this process helps to establish realistic expectations in advance and build trust between stakeholders and decision makers. The populated databases, located in the ACPs, will support incident-specific decision-making and risk assessment anywhere in California by any California Federal On-Scene Coordinator or Unified Command during an actual Places of Refuge (POR) event.