Pacific Strike Team The World s Best Responders: Any Time, Any Place, Any Hazard. MSTC Thomas Watts UNCLASSIFIED/FOUO
Our History Torrey Canyon Cuyahoga River Fire Love Canal Exxon Valdez World Trade Center Deepwater Horizon 1967 1968 1969 1972 1977 1980 1989 1990 2001 2008 2010 National Clean Water Act Contingency Plan Required establishment of CG Strike Teams CERCLA OPA 90 National Response Framework 1973 NCP Revised: Strike Teams created and listed as Special Team
National Strike Force Mission Function as a Special Team to assist USCG and EPA Federal On Scene Coordinators and other federal officials while executing responsibilities under the National Contingency Plan (NCP) and the National Response Framework (NRF). Develop and provide highly trained, experienced personnel and specialized equipment for response to oil pollution, hazardous substance releases, and WMD incidents in order to protect public health and the environment. What We Do: Oil and Hazardous Chemical Response WMD Response including Radiological and Bio Terrorism incidents Incident Command / Response Management Support Preparedness Exercise & Event Planning Support UNCLASSIFIED/FOUO
Hollister Explosive Detonation, CA OSC: EPA R9 April 11 15 Abandoned facility on 2 acres agricultural land, lapsed ATF permit. Dispose of 15 tons of explosive material in conex box & 10 earthen bunkers (benite, smokeless powder, black powder, silver iodide and silver iodate) and flammable, corrosive, and toxic hazardous waste in multiple structures. 2 PST provided site safety monitoring, access control during detonations, soil sampling, air monitoring pre and post detonation & data collection.
Gorst Creek Landfill, WA OSC: EPA R10 September October 2016 Site safety monitoring, daily site perimeter monitoring & inspection, soil, air & water quality sampling, data collection & documentation. On scene early beneficial to initial HASP review/development.
Eureka Smelter, NV OSC: EPA R9 May 9 19 Ore processing & smelting produced slag waste, lead & arsenic. Furnace fumes transported toxic material Soil sampling preliminary screening for removal action. PST assisted EPA with soil sampling to ID contaminated areas; soil sample analysis support, site safety, and contractor oversight. Birthplace of silver lead smelting in America
Navajo Radiation Assessments 04 National Strike Force members deployed for 10 days to support EPA radiological assessment of Navajo land, structures, and homes NSF, EPA, and contractor personnel assess homes ICS Support EPA contractor and PST member conduct soil sampling Ludlum radiation detection instrument mounted with dosimetry data transmitter Removal & Mitigation of damaged Mobil gasoline storage tank 5 years ago demo/replace structures. June & Oct monitoring for gamma; if elevated, look for A, B particles & Radon gas.
Mosier Train Derailment, OR OSC: EPA R10 June 6 10 Train derailed, 16 cars with Bakken crude, 4 cars caught fire, ~42,000 gals released. No major impact to Columbia River; 10,000 gals received in wastewater. PST provided 1 RT ASOF, contractor oversight, safety plan development/enforcement. Great learning experience & collaboration for Union Pacific s IMT and NSF members.
Fruitland Magnesium Fire, CA OSC: EPA R9 June 18 July 9 Magnesium fire at metal recycling & stripping company, Panda International Trading 300 residents evacuated, ash covered homes Ash contained chromium, magnesium, copper and zinc. All external ash considered contaminated Internal ash cleaned (PEL for Cr6 for worker safety & home monitoring) PSC, SITL, JIC Manager, SOFR, federal oversight, technical assistance on neighborhood SCAT teams. Community & congressional outreach!
Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2016 Biennial exercise in Honolulu 26 nations, 45 ships, 5 submarines, 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel. NSF Decon & PA Team worked with 4 Pacific partner nations and three U.S. armed forces dive teams. Simulated earthquake and tsunami that devastated a fictitious port. NSF & RDLs collaborated to develop adaptable and repeatable oil, HAZMAT & emergency decon techniques & procedures. PST Tunnel Deployment Training May 31 June 4 15 PST members conducted annual training deployment to CSTI, San Luis Obispo Level A C entries into railyard, containers, drums, tanker trucks, etc
M/V CARRIBEAN FANTASY, PR OSC: Sector San Juan August 17 ~ 2 weeks Cruise ship with engine room fire that spread throughout vessel, 2NM north of San Juan 512 POB, 3 life rafts deployed NSF supported salvage, lightering, pollution response and ICS.
Cinnabar Mine Assessment, ID OSC: EPA R10 August 21 26 PST assisted EPA conduct integrated assessments: * sample at mine entrance, soil & water sampling for methyl mercury tailings * prioritize site * determine effectiveness of previous emergency response ops. PST served as SOFR, comms, EMT, UTV operator and sampling team members.
Walter Johnson Junior High School Mercury Decontamination, NV OSC: EPA R10 September 10 15 ~2 oz. elemental mercury discovered at school PST, EPA, Start and Clark County Unified PD conducted residential searches of 100 homes and 1,500 bags. Great training opportunity for PST to use EPA s Lumex mercury monitors.
San Pablo Bay Sheen, CA OSC: Sector San Francisco September 21 23 Tug boats and citizens reported a foul odor near Vallejo and Rodeo Cities ordered shelter in place and halted ferry service; citizens went to the hospital with eye/respiratory irritation and nausea. A few facilities and vessels in the area Air monitoring at STA, Site safety, ICS support Hurricane Matthew, FL & GA OSC: Sector Miami, Sector JAX, EPA R4 September 30 October 12 Pre and post deployment port assessments, finance/cost doc, ICS, FOSCR, MA pollution assessments
24 x 7 x 365 4 responders within 2hrs 8 additional within 6hrs Entire team within 24hrs History Organization Capabilities Deployment Area Specialist Contact UNCLASSIFIED/FOUO
The OSC has a specific team designated for initial contact and may contact that team DIRECTLY for ANY assistance. - National Contingency Plan, 40 CFR 300.145 National Strike Force Coordination Center Office: (252) 331-6000 Duty Officer: (252) 267-3458 Pacific Strike Team Office: (415) 883-3311 Duty Officer: (415) 559-9908 LT Jacqueline Fitch Jacqueline.Fitch@uscg.mil Operations Officer UNCLASSIFIED/FOUO