The course will focus on such issues as: marine fires, hazardous material situations, weather emergencies and potential terrorist activities.

By DIANA GRAETTINGER
Bangor Daily News

EASTPORT, Maine — Handling emergencies in the waters off Washington County will be the focus of a two-day course that has been approved by the Department of Homeland Security.

The course will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 22 and 23, at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Room at 1 Washington St.

The program was designed for land-based firefighters, emergency responders, U.S. Coast Guard personnel, mariners, emergency management and environmental agencies and key stakeholders within the maritime domain. Interested Canadian Emergency responders also are welcome.

The course will focus on such issues as: marine fires, hazardous material situations, weather emergencies and potential terrorist activities, among other topics.

"Any of a plethora of incidents that could occur and have occurred the world over," Val Pamboukes of the Maritime Emergency Management Consulting and Instruction of Portsmouth, N.H., explained Tuesday. MEMCI will conduct the course. The consulting group has handled similar courses throughout the state, but this is the first time this particular course has been held Down East. There will be no charge for U.S. Emergency responders.

The program was developed in cooperation with Maine Maritime Academy, Maine Emergency Management Agency and Maine Fire Training and Education.

Eastport City Manager George "Bud' Finch, who took the course in June in Portland, had recommended that the course be brought to Washington County.

"Working with Maine Maritime Academy as well as the Maine Emergency Management Agency, we were able to accommodate that request and that is exactly what we are doing," Pamboukes said.

Pamboukes said the course was designed to get emergency personnel working together. "Not just the emergency responders and the emergency management agency folks, but the port industry folks, the port users, the U.S. Coast Guard, which is fundamental to everything we do in maritime Maine," he said. "An all-hazards approach is not only appropriate, it just makes sense in terms of continuity and our ability to respond effectively."

Working together allows emergency personnel to call in more resources "in as efficient way as possible without losing momentum," he added.

Pamboukes said that trainers would be in Washington County ahead of time to take pictures of key areas. "Some of the essential infrastructure within the maritime jurisdiction - everything from port industries, infrastructures like bridges, all types of marine terminals and things like that," he said. "We want to keep the course as relevant as we can ... so we try to put an emphasis on the key issues, concerns and targets that they have in their communities."

Copyright 2008 Bangor Daily News