Response
Quick, expedient and effective response is essential to saving lives during an oil spill. Every minute the animals are exposed to toxins means greater risk for severe, life-threatening health problems. The OWCN is proud to have a 50-75% save rate of oiled animals we have helped. The step-by-step process OWCN professionals take in responding to major spills can be found here. A chart to showing the size and impact of all of the spills in which OWCN played a major role can be found here. Forms for response can be found on the forms page.
California Department of Fish and Game’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) sends wardens and biologists out to find out the severity of an oil spill and to see what animals and plants might be in danger.
If the spill poses a threat to animals, the OWCN is placed on alert and notified by the Incident Command Center if they are needed. If called, the OWCN response coordinator mobilizes the response, notifying the response center closest to the spill and the trained OWCN response personnel. A call for volunteers might be issued at this time.
Steps in an Oil Spill Response
Response Preparedness
Success
- A list of spills responded to, type and number of birds or mammals treated, release rates
- Articles on spill outcomes
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