TRACK: PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS
Cross Border and Interjurisdictional Planning – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
This session will focus on the challenges and complexities associated with response planning across borders and jurisdictional boundaries. Speakers will address topics at the international, interstate and interprovincial, and municipal levels, and how planning, preparedness, and response can take such boundaries into consideration. The session will outline existing response agreements, and government and industry representatives will share their experiences and lessons learned through exercises and incidents followed by an interactive Q&A.
Co-Chair: Eddie Murphy, Emergency Response Liaison, U.S. DOT PHMSA
Co-Chair: Kent Lien, Technical Leader, Emergency Management, Canada Energy Regulator
How to Play Nice…Building Relationships in Emergency Response
In the dynamic realm of emergency response, effective collaboration is not just a bonus—it’s essential. This session will delve into the intricacies of relationship-building prior to and during an emergency, exploring strategies to foster cooperation, communication, and mutual respect. Discovering how playing nice is not just a virtue but a strategic imperative in times of crisis.
Chair: Joel Block, Emergency Management, Pembina Pipeline Corp.
Moderator: Adrian Michielsen, Regional EP&R Advisor, Imperial
Issues Threatening the Response Industry – Find the Future!
The response industry isn’t unique to some of today’s major challenges…outside of actually responding that is. Panelists in this session will focus discussion on several such as staffing, technology, training, drawing attention to the field, and retaining those that you do.
Chair: Tom Fuhrhop, Vice President of Field Services, Environmental Restoration LLC
Multi-Task It! – Regional Planning
Regional planning is a must since spill and/or hazmat events know no boundaries. Changes are high that overlapping agencies will responds to a singular event. The discussion in this session will focus on how those agencies can preplan, adapt and/or work together with other agencies who share oversight on an incident that crosses jurisdictional lines such as a river that flows from one state to another.
Chair: Travis Hallam, Director, Three Affiliated Tribes Pipeline Authority
Moderator: Britnee Powell, Crisis Management & Emergency Response Specialist, L48, ConocoPhillips
Time is Not On Your Side…So Stop Wasting It!
Advanced forms of technology including automated emergency response tools and artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to fundamentally change spill response. As they become increasingly helpful and user friendly, first responders and response managers can use them to assist in decision making processes, for information sharing, and for coordinating response activities during an emergency. Panel members will explore their respective experience using these tools during an emergency and discuss areas where advanced technology can improve response times and strengthen and broaden response strategies in an emergency.
Co-Chair: Dan Barghshoon, Emergency Management Technical Specialist, Canada Energy Regulator
Co-Chair: Jon Wickersham, Emergency Response Specialist, Colonial Pipeline Company
To Communicate or Not to Communicate? That’s the Question
Communicating to stakeholders (community, media, agencies) before, during, and after a response can make or break public perception. Hear best practices, and gain knowledge from a panel of experts who focus on building open communications and solid relationships for emergency response.
Chair: Erika Lamberth, Sr. Consultant, Crisis Communications, The Response Group
TRACK: RESPONSE AND RESTORATION
All Eyes on Us! – Managing Expectations in a Changing Response Landscape
Evolving socio-political environments have put the response industry under a new microscope. Challenges related to environmental justice, sensitive receptors, established response techniques and technologies, analytical methods and interpretations affect traditional approaches to mitigating risks to workers, communities, and the environment. Operators and responders must be aware of how these challenges affect the response landscape.
Chair: Paul Nony PhD, CIH, CSP, Senior Vice President and Principal Toxicologist, CTEH, LLC.
All Charged Up: Batteries from Response to Clean-Up
Speakers in this session will discuss battery response from varying perspectives. Perspectives included will be responder areas of concern and best practices, environmental concerns, clean-up, the management of damaged, defected, recalled (DDR) batteries and the regulations that govern them.
Chair: Eddie Murphy, Emergency Response Liaison, U.S. DOT PHMSA
Co-Chair: Jordan Garrard, Federal On-Scene Coordinator, U.S. EPA, Region 4
Crossing the Line: Interagency Response on Inland Waterways
Interagency coordination is essential to spill preparedness and response along the inland waterways. The intricate rivers, lakes and streams touch multiple local, states and federal jurisdictions, generating the need for multi-agency contingency planning and response operations. These cross-jurisdictional responses are dynamic and complex and can often create confusion and misunderstanding of authorities, responsibilities, and jurisdictions. Speakers in this session provide clarity on state and federal agencies jurisdictional roles and responsibilities and will also offer valuable lessons learned from past case studies involving interagency coordination and response operations on the inland waterways.
Chair: Sam Dinkins, Technical Program Manager, Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO)
Moderator: CWO Dana Fleming, All-Hazards Response Specialist, U.S. Coast Guard, Sector Ohio Valley
Hot, Hot, Hot: Firefighting Issues and Case Studies
The recent loss of municipal firefighters on board a ship fire and the proposed ban on firefighting foam containing toxic chemicals has increased scrutiny on firefighting safety and environmental protection. Speakers in this session will cover recent case studies and discuss the future of firefighting operations.
Chair: CWO Dana Fleming, All-Hazards Response Specialist, U.S. Coast Guard, Sector Ohio Valley
Mile Post (MP) 14 – Kansas Case Study
Panelists in this session will discuss the MP 14 release in Washington, Kansas. They will provide an overview of the response and lessons learned for the Responsible Party (RP), EPA, and the State.
Chair: Scott Ritzer MA (DEM), Sr Preparedness and Response Specialist, TC Energy
Oil Behaving Badly
This session will focus on case studies and research involving non-traditional oil behavior and the required response tactics.
Chair: Jordan Garrard, Federal On-Scene Coordinator, U.S. EPA, Region 4
Moderator: Cody Fisher PE, BCEE, Chief, Emergency Response and Preparedness Division, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality