AVAILABILITY AND MOBILIZATION 



OF MANPOWER AND EQUIPMENT 



BY FIELD RESPONSE COORDINATORS 



Leslie E. Terry 



Division of Wildlife Assistance 



U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 



Annapolis, Maryland 



It is most important to remember that as a Field Response Coordinator 

 you are an advisor to the On-Scene Coordinator (OSC). To avoid confusion and 

 misunderstanding during Federal spill incidents all decisions and actions must 

 be coordinated with the OSC. He has the final word. 



Imagine that it is 3:30 a.m. The date is December 23, 2 days before 



Christmas, and the phone rings. A barge carrying 100,000 gallons of No. 6 



fuel oil is hard aground and leaking. There are sensitive marshes and 

 waterfowl concentrations in the area. 



Some basic questions must be answered to respond properly to this type 

 of incident. Who is closest to the spill site and can provide on-site in- 

 formation? Chances are that you are not going to be there immediately. What 

 are your manpower needs--immediate and future? Will this be a 1-day opera- 

 tion, or will it extend for 6 or more weeks. What are your eauipment needs — 

 here again, immediate and future? Where is the manpower and equipment lo- 

 cated? How can this manpower and equipment be mobilized? Who should be 

 contacted? Obviously, preplanning is the key to answering these questions. 



Let us answer one question at a time. Who is closest to the spill and 

 is concerned with wildlife? It could be someone from a wildlife refuge, 

 State wildlife management area, fish hatchery, or a field biologist. These 

 people usually know the area and can provide firsthand information. This 

 individual can usually be contacted by telephone. The person called, how- 

 ever, should be someone you know and trust so that the information can be 

 relied upon. 



What are your manpower needs—immediate and future? Are people needed 

 to operate hazing equipment? Are drivers available for boats and vehicles 

 that may be necessary? Will bird-retrieval personnel be required? Crew 

 chiefs will be essential if volunteers are to be used. Will volunteers 

 be needed to run a bird rehabilitation center? If so, with FWS supervisors? 

 Maintenance people will be necessary to keep the equipment at the rehabilita- 

 tion center in working order. Experienced aerial observers will be needed. 

 The U.S. Coast Guard on its aerial overflights will provide as much help and 

 information as possible, but they are more interested in looking for oil. 

 An observer can be sent with them, or they will schedule flights for you. 



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