Practicing for Oiled Wildlife Care in California

SEPTEMBER 28, 2019 — OR&R’s Emergency Response Division attended an equipment deployment exercise by Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) this past week as they practiced the transport, set up, and inventory of mobile wildlife care facilities for moderate/large oil spills. 

Tents on a parking lot.
Mobile wildlife care facilities set-up in front of USCG hangar in Novato, California. Image credit: NOAA.

Ten separate tents, each with electricity, air conditioning, and water heaters, were brought to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Pacific Strike Team hangar in Novato, California, in four separate 20-24’ trailers. After two days, the final set-up included roughly 4,500 square feet of protected wildlife workspace for pre-wash care, wash stations, post-care/conditioning, intensive care/surgery, food preparation/storage, administrative/training/break areas, and morgue/necropsy facilities. This modular capability allows effective response rehabilitation for multiple species (both coastal and inland) and is suited for both remote deployments and to augment existing purpose-built facilities. Such facilities and associated trainings and deployment exercises are part of OWCN’s continuing efforts to provide best achievable care to oiled wildlife in California.

For more information contact Jordan.Stout@noaa.gov.

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Last updated Tuesday, November 8, 2022 1:48pm PST