Response
Response is the mobilization and deployment of trained personnel and pre-staged
equipment to the scene of a spill. The Navy's policy is to respond to Navy spills
and to undertake direct and immediate action to minimize the spill's effect. To
execute this policy, the Navy uses a three-tier system and a network of response
assets.
Three-Tier System
Navy response follows the widely accepted Three-Tiered Response System. Tier 1 consists
of mobilizing and deploying immediately available resources, such as those pre-positioned
at a specific base. Every Navy facility with oil handling responsibilities is capable
of a Tier 1 response. Tier 1 responses are conducted by local Navy activities and
managed by Facility Incident Commanders.
Larger spills will require greater quantities of response equipment and a Tier 2
response. Tier 2 consists of mobilizing equipment from a wider regional area. For
example, equipment from several Navy facilities located in the same geographic area
would be used during a Tier 2 response.
Tier 3 is considered to be a coast-wide or national response effort and involves
mobilizing equipment to a major spill from multiple regions. Tier 2 and 3 responses
are overseen or directed by the applicable Navy On-Scene Coordinator.
Whether responding to a Tier 1, 2 or 3 type event, the Navy uses a response structure
that follows the Incident Command System promoted by the National Response Team and the
National Response System.
Navy Response Assets
The Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center (NFESC), part of the Naval Facilities
Engineering Command (NAVFAC), provides Tier 1 type equipment, such as harbor boom, skimmers
and work platforms to Navy activities posing a spill risk. NAVFAC also has access
to U.S. Coast Guard contractual arrangements called Basic Ordering Agreements (BOA) to augment local
Navy capabilities.
Equipment for responding to larger Tier 2 and 3 spill events is procured,
maintained and deployed by the
Navy Supervisor of Salvage (SUPSALV) and consists of large open-seas boom,
skimmers, and support craft. SUPSALV maintains and deploys this equipment through
commercial contract and also has emergency contracting authority to obtain specialized
response assets as required. Requests for BOA Contractors and SUPSALV Support must
come from the NOSC managing a spill response.
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