23 September 2026
Council's oil spill response team held a marine oil spill equipment deployment exercise in the Inner Harbour yesterday as part of its quarterly training programme. The team deployed equipment and practised containing a mock spill, testing how it would respond in a real event.
"This exercise lets us test our gear and check that our team is ready to respond quickly if we ever need to," says Phil Nickerson, Regional On-Scene Commander (ROSC).
Health and safety was a key focus of the day. Mike Pyatt, who is also trained as a Regional On-Scene Commander, oversaw this aspect of the training.
"Making sure everyone stays safe while handling this equipment is just as important as the exercise itself," says Mike Pyatt.
Tairāwhiti has a working port, commercial fishing activity and popular recreational waterways. Regular training helps ensure responders are prepared to protect the environment and coastline if a spill occurs.
Trevor King from Maritime NZ attended to observe the exercise.