|
Heading
Marine Oil Spill Reporting
1-800-OILS-911 Cooperative Agreement 1993 Preface | Statement of Authority | Purpose, Scope & Background General System Description & Principles | Appendix 1 - Call Routing The following provides the text of a Cooperative Agreement between the west coast states of the United States and the Province of British Columbia (CANADA) to establish a consistent marine spill reporting number linked to a spill prevention education program targetted at the fishing industry and recreational boaters. This agreement was signed by the States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force at their annual meeting in Portland, Oregon (July, 1993). The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission initiated the provision of the spill reporting system in collaboration with the Pacific Oil Spill Prevention Education Team (POSPET). The international spill reporting number is currently routed to the spill reporting centres of the Province of British Columbia and the States of California, Oregon and Washington. Preface The Oil Spill Memorandum of Co-operation (June 1989), between the Province of British Columbia and the States of Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and California, provides the basis for development of coordinated programs for oil pollution prevention, preparedness, and response. The avenue for fostering this cooperation is provided by the States/BC Oil Spill Task Force and its sub-committees. The focus of this document is on establishing a consistent marine oil spill reporting number that "seamlessly" links the caller to the appropriate state or provincial emergency dispatch services, depending on the coastal location of the call. The easy-to-remember number assigned to this purpose is 1-800-OILS-911. Eventually, it could be used throughout North America for each state or province. The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission initiated the provision of the spill reporting system in collaboration with the Pacific Oil Spill Prevention Education Team. This team consists of state and private spill education specialists. The Task Force and its Public Education subcommittee have embraced the concept and agreed to be the implementing organization. This notification system may be used as a resource by the Province of British Columbia and the States of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California. This document, and its various components, will be reviewed and maintained annually by the public education committee of the States/BC Oil Spill Task Force to ensure that the information remains current. This document may be amended at any time with the concurrence of the participating state and provincial agencies. Return to Top Statement of Authority This document is pursuant to, and follows the intent of, the Oil Spill Memorandum of Cooperation of 1989 and is endorsed by the States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force as represented by the following members: Province of British Columbia, Gerry Armstrong, BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks State of Alaska, John Sandor, Department of Environmental Conservation State of Washington, Mary Riveland, Department of Ecology State of Washington, Barbara Herman, Office of Marine Safety State of Oregon, Fred Hansen, Department of Environmental Quality State of California, Pete Bontadelli, Office of Oil Spill Prevention and Response Return to Top Purpose, Scope & Background Purpose This document provides the mechanism and endorsement of a single, easy-to-remember phone number for reporting marine oil spills on the west coast. This single toll-free phone number will result in more effective pollution reporting, which in turn will lead to greater public awareness and overall oil spill prevention. Scope This document explains the nature and function of the marine oil spill reporting number. The intended users of this toll-free reporting number (1-800-OILS-911) are fishermen, recreational boaters, and other mariners who travel between west coast states and the province.{1} Calls will be automatically routed to the appropriate state or provincial emergency dispatch service, depending on the location of the caller. The call can be made via radio-telephone, cellular phone, pay-phone, or regular phone. The advantage of a single, easy-to-remember reporting number is that transient mariners need not list or know each emergency phone number of the state or province. The goal is to increase the likelihood that all spills will be reported, as required by state and provincial legislation. The marine oil spill reporting number will be publicized concurrently with an education program designed to increase public and mariner awareness of oil spill prevention. This will be done with signs strategically placed at marinas, fuel stations, fish-packing buildings, and other coastal facilities. Each state and the province will be responsible for developing its own strategy for placement and distribution of signs. The marine oil spill reporting number does not replace existing state or provincial spill reporting numbers or notification procedures, nor does it replace existing federal (US/Canada) spill reporting procedures. Opportunity will be made to have such federal reporting number accompany any educational signs that display the 1-800-OILS-911 number. Background A single west coast spill reporting number was initiated by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission in collaboration with the Pacific Oil Spill Prevention Education Team. This team is comprised of individuals involved in various state and privately sponsored oil spill prevention programs. Their members provide a cooperative forum for sharing resources and coordinating educational programs to eliminate small oil spills in the coastal and inland waters of the west coast. In keeping with improved west coast spill prevention and response consistency, the Task Force embraced the spill reporting concept and agreed to be the organizational avenue for its implementation. The Task Force and its public education committee will continue to work with the Pacific Oil Spill Prevention Education Team to promote the spill reporting number and to establish a consistent west coast public education program. Return to Top System Description The marine oil spill reporting system consists of a single, toll free phone number that can be used anywhere along the west coast. To report a spill, or pending spill, a caller dials 1-800-OILS-911 using any phone system or by calling a marine operator who places the call. The call is automatically routed via telecommunication network to the "pre-assigned" state or provincial dispatch service for spill reporting. It will not be apparent to the dispatcher whether the caller uses the 1-800-OILS-911 number or the regular reporting number. The cost of operating the system is low. There is a monthly service charge of approximately $20.00, a $.05 charge per toll call, and a long-distance charge of about $.25 per minute. For example, a state/province receiving about 100 reports a month could incur a cost of $75.00 (based on a 2 minute call). Each state or province of the States/BC Oil Spill Task Force must arrange to have the system put in place for its jurisdiction. The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission will facilitate the logistical arrangements with the appropriate phone company. General Principles The following general principles shall be applied when requesting and acquiring the use of the 1-800-OILS-911 marine spill reporting number. Each state or province must: - Identify the spill reporting/emergency dispatch number to which marine spill reporting system calls will be routed; - Seek approval(s) from its dispatch services; - Arrange receipt of telephone billing and be responsible for payments, or authorize the States/BC Oil Spill Task Force to do the same; - Keep a record of calls being made in order to undertake evaluation of the system, or authorize the States/BC Oil Spill Task Force to do the same; - Provide for a consistent education program to be used concurrently with the marine spill reporting system. Return to Top Appendix 1 - Call Routing The west coast marine spill reporting number (1-800-OILS-911) links the caller to the following emergency dispatch service: CALIFORNIA Office of Emergency Services Sacramento 1-800-852-7550 OREGON Office of Emergency Management Salem 1-800-452-0311 WASHINGTON Division of Emergency Management Olympia 1-800-258-5990 ALASKA (To Be Determined) BRITISH COLUMBIA Provincial Emergency Program 1-800-663-3456 End Note: There are an estimated 14,500 commercial fishing vessels operating in US coastal waters, and about 13,800 fishing vessels licensed in British Columbia. Return to Top Back to Cooperative Agreements & Resolutions |
|
 Copyright
2003 OSTF | All Rights Reserved
Search the Oil Spill Task Force website...
|
|