Sea Alarm has a range of response services to
assist local stakeholders in getting the situation under control.
Having been involved in the response to a large number of oil spill incidents, Sea Alarm has extensive experience in dealing with oiled wildlife emergencies.
Response services
Supporting management
When mobilised, Sea Alarm provides strategic and tactical advice, coaching key individuals and helping to set up management and information systems. Sea Alarm can optimise a response by analysing emerging needs, by filling crucial gaps before they become a problem, and by making inexperienced personnel feel comfortable and supported. We use our international networks and experience to make things work faster, more effectively and cost efficiently. Our aim is to assist the impacted animals by clearing the way for the hands-on willdife response experts to make a professional difference.
Identifying and integrating international resources
Sea Alarm can assist with the identification, mobilisation and integration of international resources, such as experts and equipment. Procedures are increasingly in place to mobilise the world’s most experienced resources to help professionalise a local response effort.
Maximising chances for compensation
Sea Alarm has close contacts with key organisations that are part of the international compensation mechanisms, such as P&I Clubs and the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund. Sea Alarm is regarded as a reliable organisation that is able to implement international standards of good practice and optimise cost-efficiency, so our involvement helps to ensure that the costs of the response can be claimed back from these compensation mechanisms.
Mobilisation levels
Sea Alarm can provide the following three levels of assistance:
Level 1 Response: Sea Alarm provides distant advice and coaching by, for example, bringing parties into contact with experts who can provide further advice. Sea Alarm can also facilitate the response by bringing all actors together under one umbrella of coordinated activities. In many cases, level 1 is the first stage of Sea Alarm’s involvement. If necessary, then the response may be upgraded to level 2.
Level 2 Response: Sea Alarm makes an on-site visit, accompanied by one or two other experts to assess if more extended international support is needed. Based on the assessment, the response may be upgraded to a level 3 response
.
Level 3 Response: Sea Alarm identifies and assists with the mobilisation of international resources when required. This could mean that equipment is mobilised, or that wildlife response experts or complete wildlife response teams are mobilised to assist the local response. A level 3 response is only mobilised if adequate funding can be provided. Therefore this stage is dependent upon on the availability of a response budget. The most appropriate funding solution is normally found as part of the level 1 or level 2 response activities.
International Resources
Sea Alarm can facilitate the involvement of international experts and expert groups who are able to assist a local response effort, such as EUROWA and the the Global Oiled Wildlife Response System.
European Resources
EUROWA is a European network of European expert organisations with Sea Alarm as its secretariat. The network includes trained experts that can form a response team that can be mobilised to assist a local response. It is composed of organisations dedicated to a professional oiled wildife response, such as marine wildlife rehabilitation centres, NGOs, scientific institutes and universities. EUROWA experts are all trained to the same professional standards, and registered in a central database. Sea Alarm facilitated the initiation and development of the EUROWA Network.
EUROWA has its own stockpile of oiled wildlife response equipment held in Belgium, which is regularly maintained and is available for any interested party in Europe to mobilise.
EUROWA response assistance can be mobilised via Sea Alarm.
Global Resources
GOWRS is a global network of expert wildlife response organisations who provide hands-on oiled wildlife services to oil industry members of Oil Spill Response and other interested parties. Sea Alarm was instrumental in the creation of the GOWRS project and works closely alongside GOWRS experts in a response.
Sea Alarm and GOWRS were involved in identifying sets of wildlife response equipment which have been purchased by Oil Spill Response and are stockpiled at their bases. The equipment is maintained in readiness and can be mobilised on request by any interested party. Sea Alarm also maintains an overview of existing mobile wildife response equipment units and can assist with the mobilisation of these units or provide ideas and examples for new units.