For the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council oil spill response training at Whittier is a community event.
The PWSRCAC invited the whole community to climb aboard a Stan Stephens Cruises vessel on Sept. 25 to observe its fourth annual fishing vessel oil spill response training tour. More than 60 residents, including 25 students from Whittier Community School, accepted the invitation.
“I’ve been here for 14 years and I’ve always wanted to come out and see what they do for SERVS (Ship Escort/Response Vessel System),” said Dyanna Pratt, director of administration for the city of Whittier. “As long as we transport oil in the water, we need to have clean up response.”
Local fish harvesters participating in the training are contracted by SERVS to respond in the event of a Prince William Sound tanker or Valdez Marine Terminal oil spill. In its role as Alyeska Pipeline Service Co.’s oil spill response organization, SERVS coordinates annual oil spill response exercises in multiple Southcentral Alaska towns, including Whittier.
PWSRCAC helps to keep communities updated on oil spill prevention and response measures in place for Prince William Sound, especially those involving their local fishermen. During this exercise, narrators from the council and Alyeska explained to Whittier residents how oil spill response technology, tactics and how the program helps Alyeska to operate safely in Prince William Sound.
PWSRCAC extended its thanks to Alyeska/SERVS, Stan Stephens Cruises and the Whittier Community School for their support of the event.
Since organization of SERVS in the wake of the Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster on March 24, 1989, the council has supported the annual training of local fishermen and mariners with the best available technology to prepare for oil spills. A major lesson learned from the spill was that incorporating local mariners into the spill response system helps ensure an efficient and effective response. Since Whittier mariners have the most intimate knowledge of the waters near Whittier, their involvement would help protect the most sensitive areas, including hatcheries and spawning streams, from spilled oil, council officials said.
Previous response training tours have been held in Cordova, Homer and Seward. Future tours are tentatively planned in other Southcentral Alaska communities, including Valdez and Kodiak.
More information on council projects is online at www.pwsrcac.org
