Thanks to a grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology, the Port of Vancouver has added two new spill-response trailers to our fleet.

Port staff submitted an application in 2017 for the Oil Spill and Hazardous Materials Response and Firefighting Equipment grant. The grant, which was awarded in 2018, gave the port the opportunity to purchase two trailers, all needed supplies and some additional customization that gives respondents quick, easy access to materials in the event of a spill. Supplies include spill pads, absorbent material, universal boom socks, a 20-gallon pop-up pool, and a generator and trash pump—a large piece of equipment that can pump 500 gallons of water, hard and soft solids per minute.

A grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology funded two new spill trailers at the Port of Vancouver USA

“We had an internal team of 12 employees that ranged from our administrative to maintenance departments and every department in between,” said Port of Vancouver Safety, Risk, and Emergency Manager Scott Ouchi. “This was a team effort, and their hard work will ensure that port staff and tenants can quickly and safely respond to any spill incidents.”

The trailers are available to staff, tenants and Ecology personnel responding to spills in the area. They’re positioned at our main gate for easy access and quick response.

Two Ecology employees recently visited the port to tour the trailers, giving them a once-over to ensure the trailers are stocked with all necessary items for responding to a spill. “I love seeing agencies take pride and heart in putting these trailers together,” said an Ecology representative. “It’s clear by looking through these trailers that a lot of research, thought and care went into equipping these trailers.”

The port has a long history of partnership with Ecology on important issues like environmental cleanups, spill prevention and preparedness. The teamwork that went into bringing these trailers to the port is just another example of the hard work and dedication that our organizations devote to protecting our natural resources.