Voluntary rescue service
an international model for coordinated volunteer
involvement
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
Table of Contents
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2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
Regional oil transportations
Volunteers regionally
- Finland
- Estonia
- Norway
Case examples
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
Oil transport in the Gulf of Finland
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
By 2015: 10x increase to almost 100 million tons
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
WWF Finland
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Ostend, Belgium
WWF Finland established
brigades in 2003
Æ since have created an
ongoing training module
and network
Statistics
4 420 registered, 597 trained
Open for all 18 years old
Short notice and long term
response
All volunteers are insured
through WWF
No obligations, no rewards
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
Concept
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2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
Aims to provide trained and
organised work force for
key authorities
Training module
- group leaders
- team leaders
- bird rehabilitators
Building good
communication with
authorities, included in local
contingency plans
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
Eestimaa Looduse Fond (ELF)
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ELF`s and WWF Finland`s mutual INTERREG IIIA project since
August 2005, which aims are:
- to improve oil combating preparedness on coasts of Gulf of
Finland
- to uphold trained and equipped volunteers, cooperation with rescue
and environmental authorities
- to build a strong international network with other NGOs,
especially in oiled wildlife rehabilitation issues
- to find compensational means for oil combating work
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
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Equipment purchased for 400 volunteers, trailer and minivan for
transportation
281 trained volunteers and 25 group leaders, more than 600
volunteers in database
Handbook of oil combating and bird rehabilitation
Training video and documentary film
Large media campaign was held in November 2006
Contract with Rescue Board
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
WWF Norway: Clean Coast!
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
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Started November 2005
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Increases the knowledge
about the environmental
challenges related to oil
transport and spill
contingency plans
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Cooperation with the
Norwegian Coastal
Administration
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8 training courses so far
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
Training material
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Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
Case: mystery spill, Estonia,
January 2006
• 28th of January: oil spill in North-Western coast of Estonia,
Natura 2000 and IBA area, bad weather conditions
• Oiled ~ 35 kilometres of coastline, mostly sandy and rocky beaches
• Thousands of sea birds oiled
• 29th of January ELF gets request for help from Rescue Service
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
ELF´s actions and Results
• Mobilising volunteers, altogether about 400 people came
• Campaign for raising money, altogether gathered about 500 000
EEK (33 000 EUR).
• Organising bird rehabilitation, contacting international organisations
(IFAW, Sea Alam, IBRRC...)
• Cooperation with governmental institutions
• Wide media reflection, raise of public awareness about
environmental issues in general, particularly about risks and dangers
from oil traffic and vulnerability of Baltic Sea.
• Database of volunteers
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WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
Results
• ELF`s board turned to government to talk about the need of
developing Oil Foundation to compensate oil traffic accidents
• Government’s agreement to develop Oil Foundation, basic decision
of developing Oil Foundation in April 2006. No Oil Fund today.
• ELF was roped into governments crisis regulation commission
• Experiences, knowledge, know-how
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
Case: Mäntyharju, Finland
June 2007
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2nd October, 2007
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A small scale spill on lake
shore Finland
SMS alarm system
successfully tested
Good practice on how to
work with authorities and
what needs to be developed
No wildlife involved
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
Case: M/S ”Server”, Norway
January 2007
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M/S ”Server”: cargoship from Cyprus on the way to Murmansk,
crew of 25 were all saved
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370 tons of crude bunker oil was spilt (585 t bunker, 72 t diesel)
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Oil spread over 170 km, in over 100 locations
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Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
Clean Coast! put to the test
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WWF staff in place the day after the spill - volunteers at work three
days after the spill
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120 volunteers participated (average of 20 daily)
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WWF was the only environmental organisation to participate
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More than 200 tons of oiled wastes collected by WWF alone!
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Estimated mortality of 10 000 seabirds
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response
Thank you for your attention!
For more information:
www.wwf.fi
www.wwf.no
www.elfond.ee
2nd October, 2007
Ostend, Belgium
WWF & ELF
Voluntary Response