FEBRUARY 4, 2016 -- For years, NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration has been offering our popular Science of Oil Spills classes to oil spill responders and planners.

But oil isn't the only hazardous material for which we have expertise. This March, we'll launch our first official Science of Chemical Releases (SOCR) class to share this expertise in new ways.

This class is designed to help spill responders and planners increase their scientific understanding when preparing for and analyzing chemical spills, which could range from toluene to sulfuric acid, and when making risk-based decisions to protect public health, safety, and the environment in the event of such a release.

The three and a half day class will take place at NOAA’s Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center in Mobile, Alabama, from March 21–24, 2016.

We are accepting applications for this class until Friday, February 19, 2016. We will notify accepted participants by email no later than Friday, February 26.

The class is primarily intended for new and mid-level spill responders, planners, and stakeholders from all levels of government, industry, and academia.

During the class, participants will be introduced to a realistic scenario to demonstrate the use of scientific tools, resources, and knowledge to aid in response to chemical releases. The scenario will be centered on a hypothetical chemical incident involving the derailment of multiple rail cars containing hazardous chemicals, resulting in a fire and release of dangerous chemicals into the environment.

Through this new training, we hope to provide a broad, science-based approach to understanding chemical release response, thereby increasing awareness and preparedness and reducing uncertainty and risk associated with this type of incident.

There is no tuition for this class. However, students are responsible for all miscellaneous expenses, including lodging, travel, and food.

For more information, and to learn how to apply for the class, visit the SOCR Classes page.

If you have any questions or experience any problems with your application, please send us an email.

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