The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is already being called America’s worst environmental disaster and the oil hasn’t stopped flowing yet. Estimated to be twice the size of America’s previous largest spill, that of the Exxon Valdez, the BP oil spill has already had profound economic and environmental impacts in the Gulf. Fortunately, recovery efforts are already underway as volunteers are being organized to help contain the spill and save marine life.
Useful Skills and Training for Oil Spill Clean Up
The oil seeping into the Gulf is not only hazardous to marine life – it’s dangerous to humans as well. As such, State and Federal laws require volunteers to be specially trained before helping in oil spill containment or wildlife cleanup efforts. Here are a few useful skills and traits to have when helping in the oil spill cleanup:
- Be 18 years or older: According to the volunteer registration pages found at Alabama’s Office of the Governor “Faith-based and Community Initiatives” website and the LA Gulf Response Louisiana Volunteer Program website, volunteers must be 18 or older to help.
- Have HAZWOPER training: Volunteers planning on handling oil must be trained in the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) standards as required by OSHA. The volunteer registration forms from the State offices of Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi all ask if registrants have HAZWOPER training.
- Have wildlife handling experience: Only volunteers specially trained in the handling and care of wildlife will be allowed to clean animals affected by the oil slick. According to BP’s “Community Response” page Tri-State Bird and Rescue have been contracted to help wildlife and only trained volunteers will be used to help. The volunteer registration pages for the State offices of Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi say they too will only use trained volunteers.
Oil Spill Volunteer Efforts That Require No Training
Although special training is required to handle oil and oil covered animals, there are still plenty of opportunities for folks who are not trained:
- Survey local birds: Visit the coast, record what birds are present, and submit the data to Ebird.org, run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the Audubon Society. This information will help conservations understand how marine birds are being impacted and where they should be focusing their efforts.
- Report oiled shorelines and oiled wildlife: Help with oil spill containment by letting everyone know where the oil is and where it’s going. The website Deepwater Horizon Response asks volunteers to report oiled wildlife by calling (866) 557-1401 and oiled shorelines should be reported to (866) 448-5816.
- Make a donation: Consider donating to one of the many groups working to contain the oil spill and rehabilitate marine life. National non-profits include the Audubon Society or the Sierra Club, but many local groups will be needing the extra help too.
Where to Find Gulf Oil Spill Volunteer Opportunities
According to BP’s “Community Response” page folks wanting to volunteer should call +1-866-448-5816 to register and gain more information. Volunteer opportunities can also be found at the following state run sites:
Volunteer Florida: The Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism & Community Service
Alabama’s Governor’s Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives: Servealabama.gov
Volunteer Mississippi: Volunteermississippi.org
Megan Jungwi - Megan Jungwi started her freelance writing career in March 2009. Although new to online writing Megan has long been passionate about the ...
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