Boom containment critical to Eglin AFB waterways

  • Published
  • By Lois Walsh
  • 96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) --  Eglin Air Force Base officials are using reverse psychology to protect their waterways from possible contamination.

Bruce Stippich, the 96th Civil Engineer Group's environmental compliance expert, has been busier than usual since an oil well ruptured in the Gulf of Mexico April 20. The Deepwater Horizon disaster has Mr. Stippich and a crew of volunteers working to protect the waterways surrounding the base. Normally, his job is to ensure any oil spill that occurs within the base is contained from fouling the shoreline. Now, he's keeping the oil out.

"If we're the 'spillers,' our geographic response plan protects the public," Mr. Stippich said. "Now, it's the same booming style, done in reverse, to protect our natural resources."

So far, a response team has placed close to 2,000 feet of 18-inch boom in three locations. Boom is an oil containment device used to trap oil in the water so it can be collected before reaching the shore. If there is a threat of oil entering Choctawhatchee Bay, another 2,500 feet of boom will be deployed.

Volunteers make up the emergency spill response teams for containment boom deployment. Each volunteer needs to have Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard training and know how to pull boom. Members of from environmental compliance, Eglin AFB Fire Department, bioenvironmental and 96th Logistics Readiness Squadron have joined in helping secure Eglin AFB's shoreline. Boats from the 96th Force Support Squadron are being used in response to the team's needs.

According to Tom Ryan, the assistant chief training and education officer for the fire department, firefighters have hazardous materials training, which qualifies them to respond to spills that might happen on a daily basis -- like those caused by car accidents or leaks.

"The game plan is to dispatch an engine from fire station one and our firefighters will get on the boats and deploy additional booms if needed," Mr. Ryan said. "That way we have response coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

For the time being, the booms are staying in place. There's no plan to move them since they are in non-navigable waterways.

"So far, so good; we haven't seen any oil," Mr. Stippich said. "We managed to withstand the possible tropical storm last weekend and will continue to check the booms weekly while there's a threat of oil coming our way."