Emergency Support Function 10 (ESF-10) is a protocol for how the federal government cleans up actual and potential oil spills and hazardous materials after a Presidential Declaration of Emergency. The primary agencies quickly setup a unified command to run field operations, manage budgets and disseminate critical public information.
Following protocols from the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the unified command chose to divide the affected areas into branches along the same boundaries as current Coast Guard sectors and then to smaller divisions.
Working together the Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission focus on making sure people are safe while assessing thousands of vessels and containers for potential environmental threats in each area affected by Hurricane Irma.
Oil Spill Response Organizations (OSROs) are vital resources to a successful response. Each OSRO is an expert in a particular skill from underwater welding and surveying to salvage and pollution control.
Removing damaged vessels safely while minimizing environmental impact is a challenging job because each one requires proper planning, resources and skill. Many different methods of extraction are used from hoisting and towing to in-water demolition.
Extracted vessels are moved to staging areas so owners can claim them. Unclaimed vessels are destroyed and deposited in landfills.
Remember to bring the following documents to claim your vessel:
- Government-Issued ID
- Copy of Bill of Sale
- Copy of Federal or State registration
- Power of Attorney, if claiming on behalf of the owner
Stay tuned for more updates about Hurricane Irma ESF-10 Florida response efforts.
Curious to know more about how NIMS works? Most training is available to the public!
ESF-10 is comprised of the following agencies:
Credits:
ESF-10 FLORIDA