Booms deployed as team practices response

Booms were deployed and memories were refreshed at a bi-annual training exercise for Horizons Regional Council’s marine oil response team in Wanganui on Monday November 24.

The exercise aimed to replicate what might happen if a boat was leaking oil. All 21 members of the team worked to contain the habourmaster’s boat with a rapid deployment boom and erect a land-sea boom to protect the shore.

The activity at Wharf Street in Wanganui was overseen by Maritime New Zealand exercise leader and national on-scene commander Nick Courtnell who described it as essential in “raising local awareness of the national risk”.

“Regional Councils have a legal obligation to test equipment twice per year and maintain a marine oil spill contingency plan,” Mr Courtnell said.

“The main risk in this area would be from transiting ships or off-shore oil and gas. Although these off-shore operations are very safe, in the unlikely event of a large in-sea blow out, staff here could potentially be part of a large response team.”

Horizons Regional Council risk management coordinator Evan Lloyd said regular testing ensures the team is up to date and its plans are realistic.

“The objective of this run-through was to familiarise the team with Maritime New Zealand equipment which we store for use in a marine oil spill event.

“Equipment we hold includes a land-sea boom and rapid deployment boom used to contain and redirect any oil as well as skimmer equipment to remove oil from the water’s surface and frame tanks to contain contaminated liquid or decontaminate equipment. Having this gear on-hand allows us to respond quickly in an actual event.”

The exercise ran from 9.30 until around 2pm and involved emergency management officers and principal rural fire officers from around the Horizons Region as well as Horizons staff.

For more information on Horizons’ responsibility in marine oil spill events see the emergency management section of Horizons’ website www.horizons.govt.nz

ENDS

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