Accidents occur; are we prepared? | Letters

Published 11:05 am Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Disaster averted.

Last weekend, the Russian cargo ship Simushir, “carrying mining equipment and unnamed solvents, as well as hundreds of tonnes of bunker and diesel fuel” (according to The Canadian Press), lost power and was drifting toward Haida Gwaii (aka Queen Charlotte Islands).

Fortunately, disaster was averted this time, when a tug finally reached the disabled ship and towed it to dock in Prince Rupert B.C.

In stormy seas and with emergency equipment miles away, the Haida people had reason to fear the worst. This time they got lucky.

Accidents happen. Islands are precious. That’s why we would like to protect ours.

With the proposed increase in shipping coal, crude oil, and natural gas through our island waterways (on tankers two or more times larger than the Simushir), are we just hoping to get lucky, too? Or will we be prepared?

If we are not able to prevent the shipping expansion, then we deserve the best protection we can get.

Please ask our representatives for emergency response towing and oil-spill response equipment, and personnel to be stationed in our own county.

The equipment and personnel at Neah Bay and Anacortes are not close enough to avert disaster—particularly in the most dangerous sections of Haro Strait and Boundary Pass, and especially at Turn Point.

The San Juan Islands deserve to be protected and we need to make sure that happens.

Deidre Morris, San Juan Island