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Contingency Planning
In order to respond rapidly and successfully to an oil spill, personnel
responsible for containing and cleaning up the spill must know the steps that
need to be followed during and after the spill. Contingency plans describe
information and processes for containing and cleaning up an oil spill that
occurs in a defined geographic area.
Well-designed local, state, regional,
and national contingency plans
assist response personnel in their efforts to contain and clean up oil spills by
outlining the steps that should be taken before, during, and after an emergency.
When used properly by trained personnel, a
well-designed contingency plan enables oil spill response efforts to proceed smoothly and
effectively, minimizes danger to cleanup personnel, reduces the overall costs of
cleanup by avoiding unnecessary effort, and ensures that sensitive habitats are
protected.
Because the
approaches and methods
for responding to oil spills
are constantly evolving, and each oil spill provides an opportunity to learn how to better prepare
for future incidents, contingency plans also are constantly improving and providing increased
protection to human health and the environment from these accidents.
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