Photo By Master Sgt. David Largent | Petty Officer 1st Class Carl M. Sette, machinery technician, Port Security Unit 312,...... read more read more
CAMP PATRIOT, Kuwait - An Oil Spill Response Exercise was conducted at Camp Patriot, Kuwait, Jan. 14 to ensure the response team would be able to contain and clean up an oil spill should it ever happen.
Participants included members of the Camp command cell of the 1-147 Field Artillery out of South Dakota, Coast Guardsmen from Port Security Units 301 and 312, Soldiers from the Harbormaster Operations Detachment, 396th Transportation Company, contractors from Combat Support Associates, Environmental Department, several Kuwaitis and members of Camp Patriot Fire Department. It was the first time many of the participants have ever been involved in an oil spill exercise.
It's necessary to get all of the departments together that would be involved and determine what responsibilities fell to which department and how to coordinate and communicate throughout the response.
"The goal is to have the ability to respond here in Kuwait as we would anywhere back in the U.S.," said Kirk E. Davis, environmental department manager from CSA, the company that is under contract with Third Army to provide oil spill and hazmat response to the U.S. military in Area Support Group Kuwait's area of responsibility.
Prior coordination and practice is required to put a team together from so many different groups.
"Our intent was to provide personnel and equipment to contain a spill from a U.S. vessel up to 1,000 gallons of fuel within the harbor and notify CSA spill response for the cleanup," said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Brett K. Anderson, environmental officer for Camp Patriot Command Cell, 1-147 Field Artillery.
"The first response is to contain the spill, then the contractors come in to do the cleanup," he added.
During the exercise the simulated spill was reported to the Joint Operations Center, manned by Soldiers from 1-147 FA, who spread the word to the other organizations involved. Each quickly responded to the call and did their piece to contain the spill.
The fire department was first on the scene and ensured the area was safe for other workers and checked for injured personnel while the Quick Reaction Force from the 1-147 secured access to the pier.
The harbormaster ensured radio communications functioned properly as a Coast Guard team delivered the trailer with the oil containment boom and prepared to guide the boom into the water where a boat crew operating a 25 foot Transportable Port Security Boat guided the boom out into the water to contain the oil until it could be removed.
Throughout the exercise a small group of Kuwaitis observed each stage of the operation so they will know the steps in case there is an oil spill.
While there was no oil spilled this time, the exercise allowed all the participants to; get their hands on equipment for the first time and learn how it operates; test communications and learn how best to make their radios work throughout the different groups involved; and an opportunity for everyone to meet the others that they will be working with should a spill ever occur.
"I think it's going to open doors and build bridges to more and better joint training," said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Glen A. Spence, harbormaster, 396th Transportation Harbor Master Operations Detachment, 180th Transportation Battalion, 593rd Sustainment Brigade.
| Date Taken: | 01.14.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 01.19.2010 09:15 |
| Story ID: | 44106 |
| Location: | CAMP PATRIOT, KW |
| Web Views: | 418 |
| Downloads: | 292 |
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