Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) held the 1st Oil Spill Response Workshop for local first responders on June 19th, 2014.
Forty First responders from Bourne First Department, Onset Fire Department, Bourne Harbormaster, USCG, Mass. Dept. Environmental Protection, and Academy’s marine operations staff spent the day in classroom presentation, round-table discussions, and in-water oil spill response exercises.
Responders practiced oil-boom deployment and recovery exercise with the Academy’s oil skimmer in Buttermilk Bay.
The workshop was made available with supports from Massachusetts Environmental Trust to train local responders to prepare and response to any oil spills in Buzzards Bay. Scott Metzger, Clean Harbors Senior Vice President of Emergency Services, was the guest lecturer.
The objective of the workshop is test the Massachusetts Geographic Response Plans for oil spills in the region.
The class also offered the opportunities for responders to train on actual oil spill response equipment that the Academy has acquired and maintained for training and emergency preparedness.
The oil spill equipment is also being utilized to train cadets who major in Environmental Protection, Safety, and Emergency Management.
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Press Release; July 3rd, 2014