Witt O'Brien's conducted a virtual Annual Incident Management Team
Tabletop Exercise (IMT TTX)* on March 10, 2021 in Houston.
This challenging exercise tested the interaction, communication, and problem
solving between the Incident Commander, Federal and State On-Scene
Coordinators, and Incident Management Team (IMT) members, including the USCG,
State Agencies, OSROs, SMFFs, the vessel operator’s representative, and other
stakeholders in the critical stages of a vessel casualty.
NOTE: Due to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis in the US and
globally, we have put plans for our regular one-day IMT TTX seminars
around the world on hold at this time.
Therefore we have once again developed an e-Learning course that
covers the virtual IMT TTX carried out in Houston to allow each plan holder to
participate in the seminar and satisfy their IMT TTX compliance for 2021.
The 2021 e-Learning
course is now available and may be completed at any time
before the end of the calendar year. Please contact us at imtttx@wittobriens.comto register for the course.
Separately, we have conducted a three-part series of 60-minute webinars to provide “Regulatory Updates” similar to what we did in 2020. Our last webinar in this series was held on Wednesday, July 14, 2021. The replay links for all three are available below.
We plan to hold another three-part webinar series later in the year tentatively in early October, November, and December. We will announce via circular a schedule of dates for our webinars in due course which will also be posted here.
- 12 May 2021: US Pacific Coast Compliance (Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington)
- 10 June 2021: Ballast Water Management Implementation and Enforcement, Exhaust Gas Scrubbers in US waters, and the 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP)
- 14 July 2021: Alternative Planning Criteria (APC), Vessel Pro, and USCG Preparedness of Response Exercise Program (PREP) Compliance
BACKGROUND
The annual IMT TTX is an important element in our ongoing “Partnership in Compliance” program. As required by USCG’s “Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP) Guidelines”, each Vessel Response Plan Holder must test their plan by conducting an exercise with their incident management team annually. The State of California also requires Plan Holders to conduct an annual IMT TTX.
As your designated IMT, Witt O'Brien's designs, conducts, evaluates, and reports these exercises on your behalf to ensure compliance.
*Note: The 2016 PREP Guidelines now require plan holders to participate in a Salvage and Marine Firefighting Table Top Exercises (SMFF TTX). We have coordinated with the SMFF service providers to integrate these requirements into our IMT TTX event to provide one event that will satisfy all requirements. Those who attend one of our IMT TTX events or complete the e-learning course will be issued certificates documenting participation in a combined exercise which also satisfies compliance with the SMFF TTX for 2021.
WHO MUST Complete the ANNUAL IMT TTX
- At least one representative for each plan (VRP) holder must attend one of the exercise venues, or complete the e-learning course.
- As always, participation is unlimited.
INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM EXPERIENCE
This event provides a unique opportunity to observe the largest and most experienced full time and contracted network of professional responders to all hazards and responses in the US spanning the last three decades.
Our team has hands-on experience in strategic and tactical decision making and have managed or provided technical support for some of the largest natural disasters and environmental emergencies, including the Deepwater Horizon and the Enbridge Pipeline oil spills as well Hurricanes Sandy, Katrina, Rita Ike and Gustav.
Witt O’Brien’s was the primary response manager for the most significant maritime incidents in recent history including the T/V Dubai Star, M/V COSCO Busan, M/T Athos I, and M/T Exxon Valdez.
We combine experience with state-of-the-art tools to be sure we stay ahead of paper work and reporting required in the federally mandated National Incident Management System (NIMS) Incident Command System (ICS).
Regardless of the size of the event, Witt O'Brien's leverages our extensive knowledge and relationships with USCG and other federal and state agencies to make sure your response operations are scaled to meet your needs, cost effective, and properly documented.
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Witt O’Brien’s Historical Response Map Tour – http://bit.ly/1hADdXt
If you should have any questions or comments, please contact us at imtttx@wittobriens.com.
