The NOAA Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) Emergency Response Division, in collaboration with NOAA’s International Marine Protected Area (MPA) Capacity Building Team and the Philippine Coast Guard, conducted an oil spill response training in Boracay,and Batangas, Philippines. The training included a train-the-trainer component whereby mentors learn in such a way that they are able to train others on the topics covered. Training focused on conducting oiled shoreline assessment surveys, developing and using Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) maps and data, and other environmental spill response topics. Response considerations emphasized sensitive natural resources in the region, including mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds. Subjects covered included NOAA models and tools, field guides, and other response resources. The participatory hands-on workshop included exercises and a field trip related to the scientific lecture topics. These trainings concluded a total of three courses conducted in different regions of the Philippines.

The NOAA Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center (DRC) in Mobile, Alabama hosted the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) leadership team from November 19-21. ONMS leveraged the central meeting location to meet with regional partners and bring together their geographically dispersed team from the Pacific to the Northeast. While the DRC facility brings together NOAA-wide resources to improve preparedness, planning, and response capacity for natural and human-caused disasters, it also serves as a training facility and meeting space for NOAA personnel and partners. The DRC offers meeting space suitable for large gatherings of up to 100 attendees to smaller groups of 10 or less and has reliable wifi and audio visual capabilities.

This fall, OR&R released a new version of the Environmental Response Management Application (ERMA®). ERMA is a web-based mapping application used by environmental responders and natural resource decision-makers. It serves as the Common Operational Picture, or COP, for NOAA and the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as other state and federal agencies, during environmental disaster response and cleanup. The latest ERMA dashboard update introduces several new features designed to improve user experience and data accessibility. Stay tuned for future ERMA releases announced on OR&R’s website, as OR&R is committed to providing seamless display, visualization, and data investigation tools for environmental disaster management.