NOAA's Emergency Response Division is participating with the Authoridad del Canal de Panama (ACP) and the U.S. Coast Guard in planning the upcoming EcoCanal 2014 exercise. The EcoCanal 2014 Exercise is a two-day exercise plus a day of training on June 24 - 26, 2014, that has been jointly planned by representatives of the multiple plans being exercised.

The final planning meeting is May 13-14. The exercise is a simulation of a major maritime incident that occurs within the Panama Canal Authority Contingency Plan area of responsibility that has potential to impact adjacent jurisdictions.

The first day of exercise will focus on incident notifications and the mobilization of response personnel to the Panama Canal Authority Incident Management Center. Once all members of the incident management team have assembled, training sessions will be held to facilitate establishing a Unified Command and establishing an Incident Command Post at the Panama Canal Authority Incident Management Center on the second day. Initial notifications will also go out to the U.S. National Response Center and the U.S. Embassy in Panama.

On the second day, the Unified Command response personnel will respond to the scenario’s environmental impacts and potential impacts to adjacent populated jurisdictions. Involvement of the U.S. National Response Team will be requested by the ACP for the development of a Technical Assistance Team (TAT) for in-country support to help mitigate the circumstances involved in the exercise.

A Joint Evaluation Team will focus on the assessment of the response organization’s capabilities, functions, plans and agreements. The Incident Command Post response personnel actions are actual, but movement of other personnel and equipment are simulated.

For further information, contact Ed.Levine@noaa.gov.

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