Texas State Guard receives oil spill response & incident management training

Over the next three days, 26 members of the Texas State Guard are receiving specialized training in oil spill response strategies from the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). TEEX, a member of The Texas A&M University System, has delivered oil spill prevention and incident management training for the U.S. Coast Guard and the petrochemical industry since 1975.

The course, which is funded by the Texas Division of Emergency Management, will provide participants with the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to effectively manage an oil spill response operation.

“The Texas Maritime Regiment (TMAR) of the Texas State Guard is honored to participate in oil spill response training with the Texas Engineering Extension Service,” said Brigadier General Robert Bodisch, Commander of the Texas State Guard Maritime Regiment. “Following the recent BP incident in the Gulf of Mexico, it is important that we are properly trained and prepared to assist when called upon. This training exercise will advance our skills and knowledge for such an occasion.”

The hands-on training is being conducted Aug. 10-12 at Lake Bastrop — North Shore Park, which is operated by the Lower Colorado River Authority. The classroom portion of the course will be held at Camp Swift, a Bastrop training site for the Texas Army National Guard.

Participants will learn response strategies and techniques and assume leadership roles while managing a simulated oil spill. Course topics include containment, clean-up and recovery of oil, sorbents, boom deployment, skimmer operations, and oil sampling and documentation techniques, as well as shoreline protection, clean-up and restoration. TEEX instructors for this course include John Giesen, Mike Clawson and Eric Fry.

The TEEX experts in oil spill control and response recently developed curriculum and delivered instructor training for workers, contractors and volunteers involved the Gulf cleanup operation following the BP Deepwater Horizon incident in April.