Oil Spill Volunteer Divers Needed?

[Rigel 7]

Hi all,

Does anybody know if the oil spill communities or agencies need or are asking for volunteer divers? And, what are the implications of diving in oil-tainted water? Is it safe? On equipment?

Any information is greatly appreciated.

Dave

 

[pjones]

I sure wouldn't do it. They should be paying people very good money to be diving in that stuff as well as making sure they have proper hazmat suits on and full face equipment. You wouldn't want to get any of that in your mouth or ears... or eyes or ... well you get the idea. With the way they are destroying jobs I wouldn't want to take one away from a diver if they could be paid to do clean up work.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Rigel 7]

I hear what you're saying re jobs, but if I trusted government to fix our problems (or much of anything, for that matter), I wouldn't feel the need to volunteer. ;-) And if jumping in the muck isn't safe, maybe there's something a little less extreme we can do? Just curious (and crushed by the images coming in).

I did some Googling and discovered that divers in the Keys held a series of mass dives to document the current health of the reefs. I also understand that there is 24-hour hazmat training available to those who wish to volunteer in restricted areas (though this likely has no consideration of divers, except to instruct "don't swim in oil"). I'm guessing.

Still, I hear ya. As much as I'd like to help, if it's not safe or realistic, that's just the way it is.

If anybody hears of ways volunteer divers can help, please give a shout.

Dave

 

[Jax]

Dave, that is a lovely idea!

I'm pretty sure that if you did a web search on "Coast oil cleanup", you would find a tremendous need. I know the volunteers are cleaning up and treating oil-soaked wildlife, for example.

 

[udtfire]

you willow need Hazwoper cert to do any clean up and a good understanding of Wild life

 

[Jim Lapenta]

huh? Looks like someone has been having a little wild life. Or maybe Wild Turkey?

 

[fisheater]

ReefCheck DOES have a need for volunteer divers, related to the oil "spill."

They are doing surveys on the life in the affected and to-be-affected areas. See their website for details. Reef Check - Saving Reefs Worldwide

 

[chrispete]

The volunteer "coordination" being done by BP is worse than useless. We signed up a couple of days into the spill. Over a month later we got an email that pointed us to useless websites that had nothing to do with the oil spill or the response to it. Since then we've tried to get some kind of answers as to where to go to help but we've been run in circles. Good luck getting them to let you volunteer.

 

[fairybasslet]

I signed up to volunteer with the National Wildlife Federation. I don't know if they'll call me but at least I'm on the

Here is a link
How You Can Help Wildlife Impacted by the BP Oil Spill - National Wildlife Federation

You can also text "wildlife" to 20222 and $10 will be donated like what was set up for Haiti.

 

[Rigel 7]

ReefCheck DOES have a need for volunteer divers, related to the oil "spill."

They are doing surveys on the life in the affected and to-be-affected areas. See their website for details. Reef Check - Saving Reefs Worldwide

This sounds promising - I'll give 'em a shout. Even if their contributions are merely data-collection, it's a start. And I'm guessing they're in a good position to know of opportunities for divers to help in other, more hands-on ways as they become available.

Thank you!