Gallon JP-5 Spill at Naval Station Roosevelt Roads - Supervisor of ...

Winter 1999/20006Training in Alaska 1999During the summer of 1999, SUPSALVEmergency Ship Salvage Material (ESSM)Base Anchorage continued to be involvedwith numerous exercises and training inconjunction with other organizations.These exercises were conducted to meetthe National Preparedness for ResponseExercise Program (NPREP) and to improvethe capabilities to work in a unified responsescenario.During the period of 25–29 April 1999,ESSM Base Anchorage mobilized a boomvan, workshop van, boats, and a ClassXI skimmer system to Homer, Alaska. Onethousand feet of FUG boom was deployedto support a USCG VOSS system.The boom was exercised in a U-boomconfiguration collecting and dumping forwardof the skimming system. Next, theClass XI skimming system was deployedfrom the USCGC Sedge in conjunctionwith two fishing vessels towing oceanboom in an open apex U-boom configurationforward of the skimming system.Other organizations involved with theexercise included the Alaska Departmentof Environmental Conservation, the U.S.Coast Guard, CISPRI, Chadux, and theSeldovia Oil Spill Response Team. Theprimary objective of the overall exercisewas equipment deployment in a unifiedresponse.On 19 July 1999, SUPSALV received acall from Eielson Air Force Base requestingoil spill response assistance. Thiscall initiated the beginning of an equipmentdeployment exercise to test responsetimes from ESSM Base Anchorage toEielson AFB, located near Fairbanks,Alaska.Without prior arrangements, ESSMBase Anchorage was able to prepare theequipment and make preparations fortrucking the equipment to Eielson AFBwith a total response time on site of 10hours. Air transportation from ElmendorfAFB and Kulis Air National Guard Basewas also investigated. C-130 aircraftcould be available from both sites withintwo hours, resulting in a total responsetime to Eielson AFB of six hours.The actual equipment exercise was on23–24 July 1999. The exercise involvedboth a tabletop exercise and an equipmentdeployment. An inland skimmingsystem van, inland boom van, and acleaning van were mobilized to EielsonAFB. The first day involved equipmentassembly and training. This was the firsttime for ESSM Base Anchorage personnelto set up the cleaning van system inan exercise. On July 24 equipment wasdeployed in response to a scenario involvingpipeline breaks resulting in oilflowing down both French Creek andMoose Creek. Eielson AFB resourceswere utilized in the French Creek areawith SUPSALV equipment being deployedon Moose Creek. ESSM BaseAnchorage personnel set up two containmentand recovery sites along MooseCreek utilizing skimmers from the inlandskimming system van. Sunflower seedswere dumped in the creeks to simulate oiland were completely contained at the firstcontainment area. Other organizations involvedin this exercise included the EnvironmentalProtection Agency, the AlaskaDepartment of Environmental Conservation,and the North Star Borough Fire Department.SUPSALV received high praisefrom all the participants.On 24–26 August 1999, ESSM BaseAnchorage participated in CAN/USNorth, an equipment deployment exercisein support of the U.S. Coast Guardand Canadian Coast Guard. The exercisewas designed to test the issues involvedin deploying equipment from the UnitedStates to Canada to assist in an oil spillresponse. SUPSALV equipment wastransported by USCG C-130 aircraft fromAnchorage, Alaska, to Tuktoyaktuk,Northwest Territories, Canada. Equipmenttransported included a heavy oiltransfer system and several small skimmersfrom the inland skimming system.The Canadian Coast Guard deployed twodifferent booming systems and severalskimmers from their base inTuktoyaktuk. The scenario addressed thecollision of two tank barges with oil inthe water and one barge requiringlightering.In addition to the equipment deployment,other areas tested included communications,customs concerns, transportation,and the procedures for the CanadianCoast Guard to request SUPSALVassistance.ESSM Base Anchorage continues toparticipate in numerous oil spill responseexercises. These exercises ensure thatthey are always prepared to support DODfacilities and Federal On-Scene Coordinatorswhen called upon.