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small noaa logo Home | Emergency Responders | Responding to Oil Spills
Information to support effective and safe responses to oil spills in the coastal environment.
Featured:Software & Data SetsPublicationsWeb Portals
Job Aids for Spill Response A list of OR&R job aids, laminated flip booklets designed to help oil spill responders complete their response tasks.
New Orleans Spill Incident: Barge DM932 NOAA OR&R's scientific support team is assisting the U.S. Coast Guard and the State of Louisiana in their response to the collision of vessels near New Orleans on July 23, 2008.
ARTES ARTES (Alternative Response Tool Evaluation System) was developed to aid in evaluating spill response tools, particularly non-conventional alternative countermeasures.
Coast Guard ICS Forms Information about the Coast Guard version of the Incident Command System (ICS) forms.
Container Ship Strikes Bay Bridge The container ship M/V Cosco Busan struck the Bay Bridge in San Francisco Bay, California on the morning of November 7th. A 100-foot gash in the hull of the vessel caused the release of an estimated 53,000 gallons of fuel oil into the water.
De-Oiling the Delta: Video of the DM932 Oil Spill Response Read about the efforts of NOAA OR&R after the 2008 oil spill from barge DM932, the impacts to the Mississippi River, and the continuing restoration efforts.
Dispersant Application Observer Job Aid A field guide for people who have completed training in dispersant application observation.
Dispersant Mission Planner (DMP2) OR&R recently updated its Dispersant Mission Planner. The new planner, DMP2, is a tool that spill responders and planners can use to assess dispersant application system performance.
Dispersants: A Guided Tour Dispersants are one kind of countermeasure to oil spills. Here's a basic explanation of what they are and how they work.
ESI Exercises Training exercises for Environmental Sensitivity Index maps.
Field Tools Team: Equipping On-scene Responders and Improving Situational Awareness The Emergency Response Division’s Field Tool Team works to advance ORR on-scene response capabilities through the development of tools for data collection, synthesis, management, and sharing.
GNOME and Deepwater Incidents OR&R is conducting modeling research to develop the science and tools that would be needed in the event of a deepwater incident.
Burning vessel. In Situ Burning In situ burning, or ISB, is a technique sometimes used by people responding to an oil spill.
Job Aids Updated! OR&R recently updated two of its job aids, the Open-Water Oil Identification Job Aid and the Dispersant Application Observer Job Aid.
NOAA Responds to Oiled Birds in CA Winter storms appear to have caused spill.
NOAA's OR&R Assists with Korean Oil Spill A team of USCG and NOAA representatives is assisting the Korea Coast Guard with the December 8, 2007 Hebei Spirit oil spill off the coast of South Korea.
OR&R Drift Card Studies Drift card studies conducted by NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R), Emergency Response Division (ERD).
OR&R Helps Teach Incident Command System (ICS) Class in Cameroon During the week of September 3-7, 2007, OR&R's Emergency Response Division (ERD) sent a member to Douala, Cameroon, West Africa to co-teach a class on Incident Command System (ICS).
Safe Sanctuaries 2005 Video Links to movie downloads of the video produced as part of the emergency response drill, "Safe Sanctuaries," held in the Florida Keys in April 2005.
Safe Seas Drift Card FAQ Questions and answers about the drift cards released as part of the Safe Seas emergency response exercise, conducted in San Francisco Bay in August, 2006.
Burning barge. SMART Special Monitoring of Applied Response Technologies (SMART) is a monitoring program for dispersant and in situ burning operations.
SMART: A Guided Tour Take a tour to learn how SMART is used for monitoring dispersant application and in situ burning during spill response.
SOS Workshops OR&R's SOS Workshops focus on evaluating environmental risks during spills and making decisions to optimize environmental recovery.
Tarballs What are tarballs, and how do they form?
The Emergency Response Division (ERD) Role in OR&R OR&R's Emergency Response Division (ERD), formerly Hazardous Materials Response Division (HAZMAT), supports emergency response and restoration activities for oil and hazardous chemical spills, provides preparedness aids for response communities, and offers training on the scientific aspects of oil and chemical spill response.
 Training for Emergency Responders and Planners Training classes, as well as self-study units, for emergency responders, planners, and other interested people.
Workshops for Emergency Responders and Planners Workshops offered to spill response professionals in local, state, and federal governments and industry.

Software & Data Sets for Emergency Responders supporting Responding to Oil Spills Pages on our site that provide access to software created by the Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) to aid first responders, planners, and restoration practitioners.
A small version of the ADIOS icon. ADIOS2
ADIOS is an oil weathering model that incorporates an extensive database of crude oils and refined products, and provides quick estimates of the expected changes in an oil's properties once it has spilled.
ESI Metadata
Information about the data (called metadata) in NOAA OR&R's Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) atlases.
ESI Data in Geodatabase Format
Download the latest GIS data in geodatabase format.
ESI Viewers
Get the latest ESI Viewers, which were created to make it easier for ESI users (particularly those without access to ESRI's ArcMap software) to view and query digital ESI data.
ESI Toolbar
Use this suite of add-on tools to help you view and query ESI atlases that have been published in geodatabase format.
Biological Resources
Animals and plants that may be impacted by oil spills are shown on ESI maps, along with other at-risk resources. There is also detailed information about their seasonality, concentrations, and breeding activities.
Drawing of a sinking tanker, leaking oil into the water. GNOME
The GNOME Development team has released a Location File for New York Harbor, plus an updated GNOME 1.3.0!
section of a tap program window. Trajectory Analysis Planner (TAP)
A software tool designed to help contingency planners protect regions against likely spills.
ESI Availability
Find out what regions have been mapped using the ESI method and download metadata, indexes, and fact sheets for each ESI atlas.
Using Maps to Evaluate Environmental Tradeoffs
Instructions and materials for an exercise in which you plan a protection strategy for a coastline threatened by an oil spill.
A small section of an ESI map. Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) Maps
ESI maps help oil spill responders and planners to identify vulnerable coastal locations, establish protection priorities, and identify cleanup strategies.
Get ESI Maps and GIS Data
Find out how to order or download ESI maps and GIS data.
Downloading ESI Maps and GIS Data
Find out what ESI products can be downloaded for free.
ESI Toolkit
Tools and resources for Environmental Sensitivity Index maps.
ESI Guidelines
This 2002 report summarizes the ESI mapping system and how this information is being developed and distributed using GIS technology.
Shoreline Rankings
ESI shoreline rankings rate how sensitive an area would be to an oil spill.
Human-Use Resources
Human-use resources (such as public beaches and parks) that may be impacted by oil spills are shown on ESI maps, along with other at-risk resources.
ESI Training
A new training module is now available for ESI users. The manual and associated training materials will help spill responders and planners learn to use ESI data in multiple formats.
icon for dispersant navigation. Spill Tools
A set of free programs designed for oil spill planners and responders, which you can download and use.
A small icon for the electronic ICS Forms. Electronic ICS Forms
Electronic versions of the ICS forms that are used by people responding to oil spills or hazardous chemical accidents, as well as other kinds of emergencies. We offer them in two formats: database and PDF.
GNOME Listserver
A forum for discussions and announcements among users of GNOME, OR&R's spill trajectory software.
Spill Tools: An Oil Spill Response Exercise
A set of exercises to help responders and planners learn to use Spill Tools.
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Publications for Emergency Responders about Responding to Oil Spills Pages on our site that provide access to publications containing scientific information, field guides, and other material.
 An FOSC's Guide to NOAA Scientific Support
A guidebook for oil and chemical spill responders, describing the products and services that the NOAA Scientific Support Team (SST) can provide to Federal On-Scene Coordinators (FOSCs).
a cutter slices through sea ice. Observers' Guide to Sea Ice
A job aid for volunteers who report observations of ice conditions to authorities such as the U.S. Coast Guard.
icon for response navigation. Characteristics of Response Strategies: A Guide for Spill Response Planning in Marine Environments
A job aid designed to help spill responders select appropriate response options to minimize environmental impacts when oil spills in coastal habitats.
icon for coastal navigation. Characteristic Coastal Habitats: Choosing Spill Response Alternatives
A job aid illustrating typical attributes of North American coastal habitats at risk from oil spills. The text describes each habitat and discusses how oil is likely to behave there, and considerations for treating oil.
icon for fonseca. Trajectory Analysis Handbook
A 2002 guidebook explaining the basic concepts involved in analyzing the trajectory of spilled oil.
Job Aid Order Form
An order form to use to order job aids, which help oil spill responders complete their response tasks.
Oil on water. Open Water Oil Identification Job Aid for Aerial Observation
An online aid for assessing the character and extent of oil spilled on open water.
Fact Sheets: ERD Products and Services
Download one-page fact sheets about the products and services that OR&R's Emergency Response Division (ERD) provides.
icon for cleanup. Selection Guide for Oil Spill Applied Technologies: Volume 1 - Decision Making
A guidance document designed to simplify the evaluation of response products and technologies.
A NOAA seafood tester examines seafood as part of a sensory test. Seafood Safety after an Oil Spill
Publications that describe how to monitor seafood for exposure and contamination after an oil spill.
Shoreline Assessment icon. Shoreline Assessment Job Aid
A supplement to the Shoreline Assessment Manual, containing visual examples of many of the terms you would use during shoreline assessments after an oil spill.
 Introduction to Coastal Habitats and Biological Resources for Spill Response
A 1992 training manual covering physical, geological, and biological considerations relevant to oil spill response and cleanup.
Man picks at sea ice with pick axe. Shoreline Countermeasures Manuals
These manuals are tools for people who must plan and implement shoreline countermeasures in order to reduce the ultimate environmental impact and cost of an oil spill. Templates are available for these regions: temperate and tropical coastal environments, freshwater environments, and Alaska.
Shoreline Assessment Forms
Forms that responders can use to record their observations during a shoreline survey following an oil spill.
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Web Portals for Emergency Responders to sites about Responding to Oil Spills Pages on our site that provide information about and access to Web sites of closely-related agencies and programs.
Screenshot of the Incident News home page. IncidentNews
News and information on current and historical incidents, including the crash of US Air flight 1549 into the Hudson River on Jan. 15, 2009.
PORTS® (Physical Oceanographic Real Time System)
NOAA's Physical Oceanographic Real Time System (PORTS®) provides quality controlled real-time oceanographic and meteorological data in support of safe and efficient marine navigation.
NCP Product Schedule and Notebook
The NCP Product Schedule, prepared and maintained by EPA, lists dispersants and other chemical and biological agents that may be authorized for use on oil discharges. The Technical Notebook presents summary information on the conditions under which the products may be used.
Oil Spill Recovery Institute (OSRI)
Established by Congress in response to the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, OSRI works to identify and develop the best available techniques, equipment, and materials for responding to oil spills in the Arctic and sub-Arctic marine environment.
CO-OPS and NDBC IOOS Web Portal
An oceanographic observation Web portal for the exchange of information for NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) and National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) IOOS participants.
Ocean.US Web Portal
Ocean.US was created by the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) to coordinate the development of an integrated and sustained ocean observing system, known as IOOS. Information from the IOOS system will serve national needs.
Office of Coast Survey: Marine Modeling and Analysis Programs
The Office of Coast Survey's Marine Modeling and Analysis Programs (MMAP) develop, improve, and apply analytical methods and numerical techniques for the analysis, simulation, and real-time forecasting of oceanographic, atmospheric, and water quality parameters.
Coastal Response Research Center (CRRC)
The Coastal Response Research Center is focused on developing new approaches to spill response and restoration in marine and estuarine environments through research and synthesis of information.
National Data Buoy Center (NDBC)
NDBC provides comprehensive, reliable systems and marine observations (buoy, C-MAN, ship, and drifting buoy) to support the missions of the National Weather Service (NWS) and NOAA.
Coast Survey Development Laboratory (CSDL)
CSDL develops and improves cartographic, hydrographic, and oceanographic systems used by the Coast Survey and the National Ocean Service to provide products and services for the coastal marine community, especially in support of safe and efficient navigation and the utilization and protection of the coast.
CO-OPS (Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services)
The Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) collects, analyzes, and distributes historical and real-time observations and predictions of water levels, coastal currents and other meteorological and oceanographic data.
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Current News: Emergency Responders
New MARPLOT and ALOHA Released New versions of a NOAA/EPA mapping program and chemical hazard model are now available! (updated: March 30, 2009)
NOAA Commemorates the 20th Anniversary of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill On Friday, March 13, 2009 the Office of Response and Restoration held an event to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. This NOAA Hill event focused on the progress our Nation has made in oil spill preparedness, response and restoration. (posted: March 24, 2009)
NEW CAMEO 2.0 and CAMEO Chemicals website New components of the CAMEO software suite are now available! (updated: February 12, 2009)
Of Special Note: Emergency Responders
IncidentNews News and information on current and historical incidents, including the crash of US Air flight 1549 into the Hudson River on Jan. 15, 2009.
An FOSC's Guide to NOAA Scientific Support A guidebook for oil and chemical spill responders, describing the products and services that the NOAA Scientific Support Team (SST) can provide to Federal On-Scene Coordinators (FOSCs).
CAMEO Chemicals Database of hazardous chemical datasheets that emergency responders and planners can use to get response recommendations and predict hazards. Available in online and downloadable versions.
CAMEO Chemicals Web Portal Use the online version of CAMEO Chemicals to search for hazardous chemical datasheets, get response recommendations, and find out how chemicals would react if they mixed.
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