Office of Communications

Post-Irma Vessel

Removal Operations in

Tampa Bay

Randy J. Runnels, PhD

Hurricane Irma – September 2017

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• Affected the Tampa Bay area around September 11, 2017

• Max wind in Naples,

142mph

• Max wind gust in St. Petersburg, 65mph

• Max Wind gust in Clearwater, 77 mph

Vessels Aground

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Vessels Aground

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Submerged Vessels

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Vessels Embedded in Resources

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Partners

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• DOI – Provided Resource Advisor training online

• FWC Law Enforcement – Handled research, noticing and other legal matters related to derelict vessel status

• USCG – Coordinated vessel removal operations

• Non-diving and diving marine contractors – floated, rigged and transported derelict vessels

• FDEP – Provided Natural Resource Advisors

Natural Resource Advisor

Resource Advisor (Definition from DOI training)

Also referred to as: READ, All-Hazards READ, AH-READ, the Resource Advisor is the advocate of cultural and natural trust resources directly or indirectly affected by an incident and the response. The READ works within the Incident Management Team (IMT), gathering and communicating information on natural and cultural resources and recommending protection actions to the IMT on behalf of the resource(s).

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Natural Resource Advisors From…

• Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)/Florida Coastal Office (FCO): 16

• DEP Regulatory Districts: 8

• DEP Office of Emergency Response (OER): 3

• FWC Regions: 3 Miami-Dade County: 1

• Palm Beach County: 1

• Brevard County: 1

• NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS): 9

• NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service/Southeast Region Office (NMFS): 1

• NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP): 2

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Natural Resource Advisor

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• Assesses natural and cultural resources at the site.

• Assesses threatened or endangered species at the site

• Recommends BMPs for vessel removal with least impact to resources

• Points out safety concerns

Typical Day

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• Early morning meeting on-site

• Assess vessel

• Discuss BMPs and safety considerations

• Contractors rig vessel

• Remove and transport vessel (with chain-of-custody protocols)

• If time allows, work on another vessel

• At end of day, receive grid package and prepare for next day

Strategies and Methods

• Remove batteries, fuel, or other hazards if needed

• Lift hull directly from shoreline with boom truck

• Plug holes in hull and pump out

• Float hull with lift bags

• Move hull laterally with roller bags

• Remove hull from water with crane on barge

Major Equipment

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Boom Truck

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Boom Truck

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Lift Bags

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Lift Bags

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Coordination Meeting

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Rigging for Removal

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BMPs for Possible Hydrocarbons

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Record Keeping

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Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Romero

Helpful Tips

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• Direct communication is important.

• Develop a rapport with field team.

• Don’t just inform, “paint a picture.”

• Bring own shallow water transportation

• Try to keep up with paperwork in the field.

• Prepare for the unexpected.

Handy Items for Resource Advisor

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• Foul weather gear

• Hardhat

• Weatherproof clipboard

• Pencils or waterproof pens

• Waterproof paper

• Underwater light

• Marker buoys

• GPS chartplotter with contour mapping capability

Contour Map for Barge

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Statewide Overview

• Total NRA personnel: 45

• Total Removal Operations Observed by NRA: 130

• Total Vessels Assessed by ESF-10: 2,680

• Assessed No ESF-10 Action Required: 225

• Recovery Completed, Vessel Left in Place: 66

• Removal Complete (ESF-10): 944

• Removal Complete (Responsible Party): 1,445

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Questions? Comments?

Randy.Runnels@dep.state.fl.us

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