A cross-border oil spill was simulated on the St. Clair River Thursday.
The Great Lakes Geographic Annex (CANUSLAK Plan) conducted a multi-organizational emergency exercise, simulating a spill that required an efficient response from officials in both Canada and the United States.
Shell Manufacturing Centre External Relation Advisor Bryant Bird said the emergency operations centre at their Corunna site was activated as part of the drill.
Crews respond to a simulated oil spill on the St. Clair River Sept. 26, 2019 (Photo courtesy of Shell Canada)
“It’s a chance for us to work with our key partners on the U.S. side, as well as the Canadian side, to coordinate and integrate our emergency response systems,” said Bird.
Along with first responders, he said there were a number of individuals from the regulators and the Canada/U.S Coast Guard to observe the operation.
The Mooretown boat launch was also used.
The exercise ran from about 9 a.m. until 1:45 p.m.
The CANUSLAK Plan is an operational annex to the bilateral Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan between the United States and Canada established to ensure coordinated planning, preparedness, and response to a harmful substance incident in the contiguous waters of the two nations.
-With files from Dave Dentinger
