MEMO
To: Clerks, CAOs, Emergency Management Officials and Municipal Councils
From: John Meek, MCIP, RPP
Regional Project Manager
Date: September 2, 2008
RE: Update on Spill Response Project
As outlined in previous memos, the Raisin-South Nation Source Protection Region has been approved for a Spill Response Project under the Ministry of Environment’s Drinking Water Source Protection Stewardship Program - Special Projects. A total of $163,500 is available to enhance spill response across the region until September 30, 2008.
The approved project is for spill response trailers, spill containment equipment/supplies, training, staffing/project management and communications. The objective of the project is to reduce response time for spill containment, especially in municipal drinking water source areas (wellheads and/or surface water intakes) adjacent to major transportation corridors (e.g. 400 series highways, major county roads, railways, shipping, etc.).
Based on Conservation Authorities’ (CA) discussions with various Fire Chiefs and Emergency Services Coordinators across the Region there is little or no spill response equipment currently available to most fire departments and most lack the in-house resources needed to conduct a spill response needs analysis. Cornwall Fire Service, which employs Hazmat Specialists, was retained to conducted a comprehensive needs analysis (Watershed Needs Analysis for Fire Service Spill Response) for the City of Cornwall and United Counties of Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry. A similar needs analysis was also conducted by Cornwall Fire Services for the Village of Casselman. Given the short deadline for the Spill Response Project funding (September 30, 2008), these two documents were used as a model for the implementation of the Project.
In order to enhance current spill response in the Region, 3 or 4 spill response trailers and spill response kits will be purchased; the number of trailers and kits purchased will depend on the cost for each. This approach will allow for a tiered response to spills. For example, when a local fire station responds to a spill they would have their spill kit, if the spill was too large for them to contain with the kit, they would call in the closest spill response trailer. If the spill was still too large to contain, then the Cornwall or Ottawa Spill Response Teams would be requested through Mutual Aid.
The following criteria will be considered for the deployment of the spill response trailers and kits:
· Location (i.e. response time target 30 minutes maximum) of spill response trailer and/or equipment to municipal drinking water surface intakes and/or wellheads
· Vulnerability of municipal drinking water source to spills (based on best available science to date)
· Proximity of neighboring spill response trailer and/or equipment and materials to municipal drinking water source (intakes or wellheads)
· Ability of municipal fire station to store the trailer and response with the trailer (e.g. availability of a vehicle to tow trailer)
· Ability of Municipality to maintain the spill response program (maintenance/inspection, restocking of supplies, training, etc.) in the future, either on their own or possibility through a Memorandum of Understanding with South Nation Conservation (SNC)
Once potential locations are selected for the trailers and spill kits, CA staff will contact the municipalities involved to discuss deployment of the trailers and/or spill kits.
The Spill Response project has a budget for training, any municipalities that receive a trailer or kit will be provided with training on how to use this new equipment. Cornwall Fire Services will be contracted to provide a train-the-trainer course, this will allow the training officer at each of these municipal fire stations to train their volunteers as often as necessary (e.g. volunteer staff turnover).
As many of the Region’s Fire Departments are volunteer-based, with limited resources (and the possibility for volunteer staff turnover), SNC will consider taking ownership of the trailer(s) and responsibility for restocking supplies if a municipality is not in a position to assume responsibility for a trailer deployed in their area. A Memorandum of Understanding would be signed between SNC and the municipality and/or counties outlining the responsibilities of each party, including the annual costs for trailer upkeep and restocking of supplies as needed.
The current project budget may not allow for all municipalities to receive a kit or trailer at this time; priority will be given to municipalities with drinking water intakes or wellheads. There may be an opportunity with the 2008-09 Ontario Drinking Water Stewardship Program to submit a second proposal to Special Projects to request additional funding to address the outstanding items from the Spill Response Needs Analyses; CA staff are investigating this option.
If you have any questions regarding the Spill Response Project, please contact Ronda Boutz at 1-877-984-2948 ext. 251 or .
Sincerely,
John Meek, MCIP, RPP
Regional Project Manager,
Drinking Water Source Protection