Gulf Oil Slick Volunteer Update 8-23-10

This week Alabama Coastal Foundation and Mobile Baykeeper hosted an Environmental Stakeholders meeting with briefings from U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. EPA and BP.  In addition, representatives from Centers for Disease Control, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, NOAA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife were available to answer questions.  What we learned is that although these agencies continue to work on cleanup, monitoring and testing, community input and involvement is critical to ensure that accurate information is provided to these agencies regarding the problems that remain in our local waters and habitat.  Many shorelines are not being regularly monitored by officials, so volunteer monitoring efforts serve a vital role in reporting the presence of oil and distressed wildlife in those areas that may not otherwise be monitored.

 

Therefore, in the coming weeks and months, Alabama Coastal Foundation and Mobile Baykeeper will work to expand our Volunteer Field Observer (VFOB) training so that it is accessible to all volunteers, whether you live along the Gulf Coast or come from outside the region to provide assistance.  These trained VFOBS help identify protective measures and areas needing clean-up to provide valuable information to responders who may not be able to fully collect data across a wide geographic area.  We are currently working to make the VFOB training available online. Once this process is completed, volunteers and area residents will be able to access the training presentation and sign important rules and waiver documents at their convenience. 

 

To ensure this process provides enough information for out-of-town volunteers and those less familiar with Alabama's shoreline, we are currently seeking local volunteers to help identify public access areas – boat launches as well as shoreline access for volunteers.  If you are available to help with this process, please contactebooth@mobilebaykeeper.org.  Please let her know which area you are most familiar with, and she will provide you with the grids associated with that area. Erin Booth serves as our Volunteer Coordinator and is one of three new staffers helping our organizations respond to the BP Oil Disaster.  Catherine Mackey and Nicole Spade also join the team as VISTA Volunteers.  You can reach them atcmackey@joinacf.org andnspade@mobilebaykeeper.org.

 

Again, we thank you for your interest in helping the Gulf Coast.  We will continue to update you as additional volunteer opportunities become available.

 

Alabama Coastal Foundation