Partnering for Emergency Response

Prevention and detection are the keys to avoiding pipeline emergencies. But in order to minimize impacts to you and your community, we want you to be prepared in the event of a pipeline incident. Our first priority is the same as yours: SAFETY.

  • At the first indication of a spill, Colonial will immediately shut down the pipeline and activate Colonial’s 247 emergency response team.
  • Local emergency response teams will be deployed to the spill location to assess the situation and begin management of the spill at the earliest stages
    • Members are trained in Hazardous Waste Operations Emergency Response.
    • If needed, Colonial personnel will be supplemented by Oil Spill Response Organizations (OSROs). OSROS are contract personnel certified by the U.S. Coast Guard to respond to pipeline spills
  • While local teams are assessing the problem in the field, Colonial’s incident management team will assemble at a nearby location to establish an Incident Command and work with local responders to address and manage the incident.
  • Colonial uses the National Incident Management System (NIMS) to coordinate emergency preparedness and incident response among various federal, state, and local agencies. This system provides a consistent framework and language that allows all responders to work together as effectively as possible.