Tyndall poised to support oil spill clean-up efforts

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kirsten Wicker
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Officials here are preparing to support the U.S. Coast Guard and the British Petroleum Company in their efforts to clean up any oil or tar balls that wash up on Tyndall's beaches and the surrounding Gulf coast.

The 325th Civil Engineer Squadron and the U.S. Coast Guard are urging Tyndall personnel and other guests using Tyndall's beaches and waterways to immediately report instances of tar balls and other oil-related debris to their chain of command.

"After working closely with one of the BP call centers, we came up with a questionnaire to use when a call comes in concerning possible sightings of oil," said Mr. Marty Spikes, 325th CES representative to the Bay County Emergency Operations Center. "If oil or tar balls are found on Tyndall beaches, we want everyone to know what to do."

During duty hours, call the Readiness and Emergency Management Office at 283-2010. After duty hours, call Command Post at 283-2155.

"Your information will be taken and forwarded to the correct agencies," Mr. Spikes said. "When you call in oil and tar balls, a controller will ask you a few questions such as the name of the beach where oil was found, the closest access to the location of the oil, is there a petroleum odor, is the location marked and are there dead animals nearby."

In addition, there is a BP Response Hotline available at 1-866-448-5816 for reporting oil and tar ball sightings. Operators at this number will ask the same questions.

"If individuals call us first, we can come out and confirm it is oil and we can also acquire grid coordinates for the oil response clean-up teams," said Mr. Spikes.

Tyndall aircrews who observe the presence of oil in the Gulf of Mexico will submit their observations to the 325th Operations Group commander, Col. Wesley Hallman.

To ensure clean-up teams remain ahead of the oil, Tyndall's Natural Resources Flight and the Coast Guard-managed oil clean-up are performing daily patrols along Tyndall's beaches and waterways to identify the presence of oil-related debris and to keep an eye on sea turtle and shore bird nesting sites.

"It is important to protect Tyndall's 17-and-a-half miles of white sand beaches and unspoiled natural resources, such as endangered sea turtles and shore nesting bird species," said Mr. Allen Richmond, 325th CES chief of Natural and Cultural Resources, Asset Management Flight.

Sea turtle and shore bird nesting teams go to the beach areas every morning to check on existing nests and locate any additional nesting sites. Teams will mark the nests and perform any clean-up. Patrols have been instructed to stay right at tide line and not go on the dunes to ensure they don't run over any nests.

"We remain in close contact with base officials working the oil issue," Mr. Richmond said. "Right now we primarily monitor and compile data and submit it to Mr. Spikes."

The Coast Guard and Bay County are also working to install oil containment booms, being put in place to protect our local waterways.

In addition to timely reporting of any oil or tar balls to Mr. Spikes, untrained personnel should not attempt to remove any tar or oil-related contamination from the water or the beach if it is found.

"Oil and tar should not be handled by anyone other than those trained in hazardous matierial procedures," said Mr. Spikes. "Do not attempt to remove it, but please mark it with a visible item and report the location so that trained response teams can respond."

Tyndall officials will continue to monitor and respond to any oil spill-related concerns. To contact Mr. Spikes, call 283-2633 or 283-2010.