Maritime disaster management
Maritime disaster management in the waters surrounding Saba, St. Eustatius and Bonaire is a joint responsibility of the minister of Infrastructure and Environment and island governors of the islands. It involves mainly oil spill management and salvaging vessels. Saving people is primarily a task of the Coast Guard for the Caribbean area.
Being the implementation organization of the ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, the Department of Waterways and Public Works (RWS) works closely together with the local authorities in the setup and organization of maritime disaster management at sea. The activities include writing plans, arranging the management organization, supplying disaster management materials and providing education, training and practice to people involved with maritime disaster management.
Disaster management plans
The Maritime Disaster Management Plan of the Caribbean Netherlands describes – at an administrative level – how the maritime incident organization of the Caribbean Netherlands is structured, what parties are involved, their roles, tasks and responsibilities and how the cooperation among them runs. The Maritime Disaster Management Plan is intended for all (governmental) parties involved in the management of maritime incidents in the Caribbean Netherlands, both locally, regionally and in the Netherlands. The Maritime Disaster Management Plan covers operational subplans which describe the management organization and tasks and proceedings at an operational level.
Maritime Disaster Management Organization
In the event of a maritime incident on the waters surrouding the islands, the island governor will have the authority needed for coordination and implementation of the disaster control. In such connection the Dutch Department of Waterways and Public Works provides advice by way of support from a distance. In case of large-scale incidents, staff members of the Department of Waterways and Public Works can be deployed on the spot as advisers or disaster management coordinators, and it organizes the use of additional combating equipment. For that purpose the Department of Waterways and Public Works can be reached 24 hours a day (+31 70 33 66 600).
Goast Guard Caribbean Area
The main task of the Coast Guard Caribbean Area at sea is saving human beings. In addition, it has a coordinating and supporting role on the basis of its capabilities (ships, planes), familiarity with the maritime area and its network in the region. For this purpose it can be reached 24 hours a day (+599 9 463 76 20 or locally: 913).