Acronyms are a shorthand communication method used within the emergency management industry. This list of common acronyms is often used in response plans and/or business continuity plans. Those utilizing these plans should be familiar with the language.
ACP |
Area Contingency Plan |
API |
American Petroleum Institute |
BBL |
Barrel |
BCP |
Business Continuity Plan |
BLEVE |
Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion |
BIA |
Business Impact Analysis |
BOP |
Blowout Preventer |
BPD |
Barrels per Day |
BSSE |
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement |
BST |
Business Support Team |
CAER |
Community Awareness and Emergency Response |
CFR |
Code of Federal Regulations |
CM |
Crisis Manager |
CMT |
Crisis Management Team |
COTP |
Captain of the Port |
CP |
Command Post |
CWA |
Clean Water Act |
DOM |
Dock Operations Manual |
DOT |
Department of Transportation |
DR |
Disaster Recovery |
DWT |
Deadweight Tons |
E&P |
Exploration and Production |
EAP |
Emergency Action Plan |
EMT |
Emergency Management Team |
EOC |
Emergency Operations Center |
EPA |
Environmental Protection Agency |
EPCRA |
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act |
EPZ |
Emergency Planning Zone |
ERAP |
Emergency Response Action Plan |
ERP |
Emergency Response Plan |
ETA |
Estimated Time of Arrival |
FOG |
Field Operations Guide |
FOSC |
Federal On-Scene Coordinator |
FPP |
Fire Pre-Plan |
FRP |
Facility Response Plan |
FSC |
Finance Section Chief |
GOM |
Gulf of Mexico |
GPM |
Gallons Per Minute |
HAZMAT |
Hazardous Materials |
HAZWOPER |
Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response |
HMIS |
Hazardous Material Information System |
H2S |
Hydrogen Sulfide |
IBRRC |
International Bird Rescue Research Center |
IAP |
Incident Action Plan |
IC |
Incident Commander |
ICP |
Incident Command Post, Integrated Contingency Plan |
ICS |
Incident Command System |
IDLH |
Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health |
IMO |
International Marine Organization |
IMT |
Incident Management Team |
IPIECA |
International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association |
JIC |
Joint Information Center |
LEL |
Lower Explosive Level |
LEL |
Lower Explosive Limit |
LEPC |
Local Emergency Planning Committee |
LEPD |
Local Emergency Planning District |
LNG |
Liquefied Natural Gas |
LPG |
Liquefied Petroleum Gas |
LSC |
Logistic Section Chief |
MOU |
Memorandum of Understanding |
MSDS |
Material Safety Data Sheet |
NCP |
National Contingency Plan |
NGL |
Natural Gas Liquid |
NIMS |
National Incident Management System |
NIOSH |
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health |
NM |
Nautical Miles |
NOAA |
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
NPDES |
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System |
NRC |
National Response Center |
NRDA |
National Resource Damage Assessment |
NRS |
National Response System |
NRT |
National Response Team |
OPA 90 |
Oil Pollution Act of 1990 |
OSC |
On-Scene Coordinator/Commander, Operations Section Chief |
OSHA |
Occupational Safety and Health Administration |
OSRO |
Oil Spill Removal Organization |
OSRP |
Oil Spill Response Plan |
PE |
Professional Engineer |
PFD |
Personal Flotation Device |
PHMSA |
Pipeline Hazardous Material Safety Administration |
PIAT |
Public Information Assistance Team |
PIO |
Public Information Officer |
POB |
Persons on Board |
PPE |
Personal Protective Equipment |
PREP |
Preparedness for Response Exercise Program |
PRP |
Pandemic Response Plan |
PSC |
Planning Section Chief |
PSI |
Pounds per Square Inch |
QI |
Qualified Individual |
RCT |
Regional Crisis Team |
ROC |
Record of Changes |
RPO |
Recovery Point Objective |
RTO |
Recovery Time Objective |
RP |
Responsible Party |
RRC |
Regional Response Centers |
RRT |
Regional Response Team (Federal) |
RRI |
Regional Resource Inventory |
SAR |
Search and Rescue |
SARA |
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act |
SCAT |
Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team |
SCBA |
Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus |
SERC |
State Emergency Response Commission |
SITREP |
Situation Report Message |
SMT |
Spill Management Team |
SOLAS |
Safety of Life at Sea |
SONS |
Spill of National Significance |
SOPEP |
Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan |
SOSC |
State On-Scene Coordinator |
SOT |
Standard Operating Procedure |
SPCC |
Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures Plan |
SSC |
Scientific Support Coordinator |
SSSP |
Site Specific Safety & Health Plan |
SWD |
Saltwater Disposal |
UCS |
Unified Command System |
USCG |
United States Coast Guard |
WCD |
Worst Case Discharge |
WHO |
World Health Organization |