US and Canadian Coast Guard members teamed up earlier this month to conduct an oil spill response drill in the Strait of Juan de Fuca in British Columbia, Canada and the United States.
The drill was done in partnership with the Washington Department of Ecology and the BC Ministry of Environment. The goal was to “test the activation process for the Canada-United States Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan, Pacific Annex, and to test moving response assets and personnel across the US/Canadian border,” according to the US Coast Guard.
“These types of joint exercises are a great way to test our preparedness to respond, build partnerships, test bilateral communications and improve our contingency plans,” said Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Marshall, the Marine Environmental Response Branch Chief for the Coast Guard’s 13th District.
