Oil spill prevention and response training, an annual event hosted by the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council (PWSRCAC), was the highlight of a tour during the first week of May offered to residents of Valdez, reports the Cordova Times.
The council had previously offered similar training tours in Cordova, Homer, Seward and Whittier, to help those residing in these communities learn the importance of the training for local fishermen contracted by the Ship Escort Response Vessel System (SERVS) — so they can effectively respond in the event of an oil spill from a Prince William Sound tanker or at the Valdez Marine Terminal.
Oil spill prevention and response training
SERVS is Alyeska Pipeline Service Company’s oil spill removal organization, which coordinates these exercises in multiple Southcentral Alaska communities, including Valdez.
On this latest occasion, narrators from both the council and Alyeska were on board the Stan Stephens Glacier and Wildlife Cruises vessel on the afternoon of May 3 to describe the activities the SERVS fishermen were engaged in so locals could better understand the training.
Alyeska’s contracted fishing fleet is the backbone of their oil spill response system, PWSRCAC officials said.
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Source: The Cordova Times
