Initial Evaluation
If the incident requires our immediate attendance, we will liaise with travel agents or aircraft brokers to determine the quickest and most effective means of getting on site. At the same time, one of our Technical Advisers will make preparations to travel. Since we provide assistance throughout the world from our office in London we pride ourselves in our ability to mobilise rapidly.
At this stage, other staff will gather information and contact key parties in an attempt to build up an accurate picture of the incident so that the Technical Adviser arriving on scene can hit the ground running. We will then carry out a preliminary evaluation of the likely extent of the pollution, its probable behaviour, fate and potential impact on resources and the local capability to respond.
We employ a variety of in-house resources, such as our Membership database, spills attended database, nautical charts, and computer models to predict the fate and behaviour of the oil and/or chemicals involved.
Sensitive resources at risk are identified and mapped using our in-house GIS. Information on weather conditions and local preparedness, such as the availability of contingency plans and equipment stockpiles, are also collated. This gives us a sound basis for understanding how the incident might develop.