Presentation
Plans, Equipment, and Training: 15 years of Achievement Massachusetts Geographic Response Strategy Development, Testing and First Responder Training Program
SessionMeet the Poster Authors
DescriptionAs a result of the 98,000-gallon oil spill in Buzzards Bay in 2003 and the subsequent passage of the Oil Spill Act of 2004, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) established the Marine Oil Spill Prevention & Response Program. This comprehensive program, which is designed to protect coastal resources from the impacts of future oil spills, includes three elements:
1) The development of 160 Geographic Response Strategies (GRS),
2) The acquisition of Oil Spill Response Trailers and Equipment and,
3) The facilitation of a Training and Exercise Program to train local community first responders to respond to oil spills and to test GRS.
This combination of plans, equipment, and training has increased first responder preparedness throughout coastal Massachusetts. The training and exercise program began in 2009. To date, MassDEP has conducted 98 field exercises and trained more than 2,400 first responders. 2023 marks this program’s fifteenth consecutive year. This program has resulted in numerous improvements to both intra and inter-town operational coordination and communications and several enhancements to the pre-positioned equipment caches, with the delivery of training and content also being revised throughout the years.
This poster highlights the value of incorporating these plans, equipment, and training into a robust, scalable exercise program that improves overall preparedness at the local, state, and federal levels, showcases the benefits of sustaining a long-term training and exercise program and provides recommendations for implementing similar programs in other areas where GRS and/or Geographic Response Plans exist or are in development.
1) The development of 160 Geographic Response Strategies (GRS),
2) The acquisition of Oil Spill Response Trailers and Equipment and,
3) The facilitation of a Training and Exercise Program to train local community first responders to respond to oil spills and to test GRS.
This combination of plans, equipment, and training has increased first responder preparedness throughout coastal Massachusetts. The training and exercise program began in 2009. To date, MassDEP has conducted 98 field exercises and trained more than 2,400 first responders. 2023 marks this program’s fifteenth consecutive year. This program has resulted in numerous improvements to both intra and inter-town operational coordination and communications and several enhancements to the pre-positioned equipment caches, with the delivery of training and content also being revised throughout the years.
This poster highlights the value of incorporating these plans, equipment, and training into a robust, scalable exercise program that improves overall preparedness at the local, state, and federal levels, showcases the benefits of sustaining a long-term training and exercise program and provides recommendations for implementing similar programs in other areas where GRS and/or Geographic Response Plans exist or are in development.
Event Type
Poster
TimeMonday, May 13th5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
LocationExhibit Hall G
Preparedness
Prevention
Remediation
Response
Restoration