OIL SPILL PREPAREDNESS ADDRESSED BY CALIFORNIA MARITIME ACADEMY New Series of Programs Refresh Company QI on State-of-the-Art Oil Spill Response Management

The California Maritime Academy (CMA), Department of Continuing Education, today announced that it has launched a series of programs designed to improve oil spill response management. In light of the recent Spanish oil spill disaster, it is important for corporations to recognize that education and planning are the keys to minimizing environmental impact should an oil spill occur.

The California Maritime Academy (CMA), Department of Continuing Education, today announced that it has launched a series of programs designed to improve oil spill response management. In light of the recent Spanish oil spill disaster, it is important for corporations to recognize that education and planning are the keys to minimizing environmental impact should an oil spill occur. A number of local and national corporations sent representatives to the new workshop, which is planned to be continued next year on a regular schedule.
The first in a series of workshops presented by CMA, BlueWater & Associates, and National Response Corporation (NRC), the Qualified Individual Workshop - A Practical Response To Oil Spills was conducted at CMA this week. Speakers were from industry and government, including Commander Jeff Saine, San Francisco Port Security Committee Chairman, US Coast Guard Marine Safely Office San Francisco, Commander John Caplis, Chief Port Operations US Coast Guard Marine Safely Office San Francisco, Tommy Flores, Oil Spill Prevention Specialist Department of Fish and Game, Office of Spill Prevention and Response and Yvonne Addassi, Environmental Scientist IV, Department of Fish and Game, Office of Spill Prevention and Response among others.    The Qualified Individual" in the title of the course refers to the company representative who is designated by federal and state regulations to initiate immediate response actions in event of any threat of an oil spill.
This is a vital program to maintain and improve oil company Emergency Readiness and we are pleased to be working with CMA and NRC to bring it to industry. We are already planning the next workshops in 2003 spring and fall," said Terry Joslin, President, BlueWater & Associates, Inc.
   Attendees participated in an impressive full-scale oil spill response demonstration conducted by National Response Corporation at the harbor of the CMA campus in Vallejo, California. A number of vessels participated in the demonstration, which illustrated the importance of planning, coordination, communications and the know-how necessary to respond to a spill. According to Jim Riedel, General Manager Western Region, National Response Corporation, The main goal of spill response is to minimize the spread of oil, maximize recovery on the water, and prevent the oil from reaching any shore."
   There is a lack of oil spill response and recovery training around the country. In keeping with CMAs goals to provide important ongoing education to the community, these courses have been planned for a number of months. After the disaster in Spain, the importance of these programs cannot be over-estimated," stated Stacy Shonk, Deputy Director, CMA.
   Along with the new Oil Spill Workshops, CMA is planning a number of other initiatives designed to provide a local and national Oil Spill Response Resource Center. This will include a comprehensive oil spill simulation capability next year as well as oil spill research and workshops planned by CMAs Institute for Maritime Technology Research and Analysis (IMTRA).

Photographs and video of the oil spill response and recovery demonstration are available by contacting Stacy Shonk at 707 654-1156.

ABOUT CALIFORNIA MARITIME ACADEMY, DEPARTMENT OF CONTINUING EDUCATION
The California Maritime Academy, a campus of California State University System, is one of the six state maritime academies in the United States. It is a leader in the development of simulation-based training. The department of Continuing Education is renown for maritime training and leadership programs that are developed directly with industry needs in mind. For inquiries contact The California Maritime Academy, Department of Continuing Education at 200 Maritime Academy Drive, CA 94590; telephone (707) 654-1156; fax (707) 654-1158; e-mail cme@csum.edu; or visit http://www.maritime-education.com.
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