Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) is preparing for the possibility of being asked by state and federal agencies to assist with injured animals from the oil spill off the coast of Louisiana. With this disaster, when it comes to caring for marine life, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has oversight and are working with Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC). Only facilities that are called upon by these agencies will be first responded facilities. CMA could be called on to help animals.
CMA has created an emergency fund to raise money for animals that need to be cared for, whether at CMA or other facilities. Click here to donate money.
The public needs to be aware of how dangerous oil in the environment is and not to pick up suspect oiled wildlife at any time. If members of the public believe they have encountered oiled wildlife, they are to call the oiled wildlife hotline that has been established. Phone number is 1-866-557-1401. Web site is www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com.
Related articles:
- Important Volunteer Information Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) is preparing for the possibility of...
- Clearwater Marine Aquarium – Fun, Affordable & A Life-Saver Whether you have a whole day to spend or only...
- Portion of Proceeds from Upcoming CMA Fundraiser to Help Oil Spilled Marine Life May 12, 2010 A portion of the proceeds from this...
- Clearwater Marine Aquarium Breaks Ground on $12 Million Dollar Expansion Left to Right – CMA Board Chairman John Draheim, City...
- CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM TO RECEIVED DE-OILED KEMPS RIDLEY SEA TURTLES FROM LOUISIANA COAST Clearwater, FL (August 3, 2010) – As part of the...
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
I know volunteers are being rounded up to prepare for when the oil spill hits Florida land. Where can I sign up to help? I would like to do more than just donate money, I want to help as much as I can
Jessica, here is a roundup of some of the local organizations looking for volunteers to go to the Panhandle and donations of supplies like linens, Dawn soap, rubber gloves: http://blogs.tampabay.com/moms/2010/05/looking-for-ways-to-donate-toward-oil-spill-cleanup.html
How can we donate *time* instead of money if the group is called on the help wildlife during this environmental disaster?
I’m the same as Alicia where can I help out at I do not have no money due to the economy but I can help hands on.
I have a reliable boat and would like to help with animal rescue or boom placement. I am more than willing to have an expert from the aquarium or somewhere else on the boat to assist with direction and guidance with respect to rescue procedures or anything else.
Mark, I don’t know where you are, but we have a 24′ open fishing boat, willing to help. We live in Clearwater, Fl. about 4 miles from water. 727-458-9359 Cell
We are thousands of miles away and so concerned about our beautiful creatures. Money and prayers are on the way. Thank you to all the incredible people who can give their time to help. You are a blessing to us all.
That blog post I put up here earlier includes ways to volunteer your time as well as money. Also, I just added that there’s a meeting in Gulfport Wednesday to use the Hands Across the Sand effort as a lobbying group to get more booms to protect Fla. beaches.
http://blogs.tampabay.com/moms/2010/05/looking-for-ways-to-donate-toward-oil-spill-cleanup.html
I want to volunteer my time to help the marine life affected by the oil spill. I am located in the Destin, Florida area and am willing to do what I can to save as many animal lives as I can. I work with and support the ASPCA. I want to provide my skills in animal rescue and want t help gve these unfortunate animals a chance. If anyone can provide me with any information on where I can sign up in my surrounding area, please email me. I really appreciate it.
Josh,
VolunteerFlorida.org might be a good place to start. They are coordinating volunteer efforts throughout the state. http://www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org/
Also, Fla. Audubon has set up a clearinghouse for volunteer info at http://fl.audubonaction.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=5541.0&printer_friendly=1
Many years ago I was an animalcare volunteer @CMA working with the turtles and also on the Marine Mammal rescue team that worked with a rescued dolphin. I was wondering if there was a list for volunteers w/ past training in case CMA is called on to help with the oil spill?
Since I manage a Hotel on Clearwater Beach, we have sheets and towels we are no longer using. Can you use these?
Regards, Kathy
As a part time Gulf Resident, I too am concerned about the beaches. I will be there next week. Is there anything I and my family can do?
AHOY, my name is Captain Lori Deangelis, i live in Orange Beach Al. and do private dolphin cruises for 15 yrs. now…we have 2-500 dolphins that RESIDE in the backbay waters of alabama..where the intercoastal waterway runs thru. I was able to protest enough to halt a “swim w/ the dolphins” center here in town due to the large number of wild dolphins I am very proud to say!! i need your help, these “resident” dolphins have resided here for decades in PEACE!! although wild, they choose to stay in a four bay area, this is their chosen grounds, along w/ their young as these waters are a nursery to them and habitat for all microscopic marine life. Even more cause for concern is that we’ve just come out calving season, therefore we have calves who need clean milk from their mothers, so the mothers MUST NOT eat tainted fish!! “BP” now takes all deceased..i have “fin diaries” of many of the dolphins i see regularly..and always kept deceased fin logs as well while working with our stranding network…now bp is blocking all that.. seriously, since when do we allow a murderer to collect his own evidence??. I need your assistance as our towns officials wont listen. we have the intracoastal waterwayrunning thru their grounds and barges are being allowed to travel out of Mobile Bay tainted..therefor contaminating their waters.we have a unique geographical situation and by filling in our pass to the Gulf and stopping the east bound traffic we can preserve our fish, wildlife, and DOLPHINS. THESE WATERS MAY BE ALL WE HAVE TO RESTART OUR TOWN,..I only want the best for these dolphins whom i’v become their only advocate here as we are primarily a fishing town, and fisherman hate dolphins….. I know how busy you must be but I assure you this is a cause you want to take part in as you may be the only person that the powers that be will listen to, and i beg for your direction, as “we americans” only know what they want us to know and i don’t know how dire this situation is for them, especially if that drill will flow unstopped until AUGUST!! I had DR. RIKI OTT , {THE BLACK WAVE documentary} who became a spokesperson against Exxon and is a marine toxicologist, aboard my boat to document these awesome dolphins, . CAPTAIN LORI OWNER/ OPERATOR OF DOLPHIN QUEEN CRUISES.COM…251/747-3290
Great thinking! That relyal breaks the mold!
I see a lot of discussions around the news saying “You can’t volunteer, you need training to collect the oil (or help oil-affected wildlife)..” So here’s the next obvious question..:
When and where can volunteers like us go for this training so that we CAN help you, our homes, our friends, our familes, our cities, our state, and our nation?
Many of us would pay for this training, and/or perhaps funds could be allocated towards the training process for those that can’t afford to pay it.
To think our beaches will be saved by 24,000 trained BP employees scouring the beaches, is ignorance at it’s best.
#1- anyone along the coastline will be affected and will need to know how to deal with oil in their own yards/docks/whatever, both.. directly from the spill, and indirectly from birds that travel inland and get tarballs falling from them, or die as an oilslicked mess in the backyard for our pets to discover.
Granted, you have numbers to call for such an eventuality, but is that realistic at this scale? Three state coastlines worth of residents supposedly calling these numbers all day long? Then tie-up the manpower to come deal with the issues remotely? It seems much more feasible to train whomever you can, and get them working in their own neighborhoods. If BP fails, most of those trained folks are going to to be outta’ here.
#2- If people want to put in the time, these are our homes we’re talking about. Our homes, our families, and in many cases, our livelihoods, will be directly affected by either the oil, or resultant changes in tourism. To sit back and wait, rather than clean-up your own backyard is not a directive many people will follow.
Most folks don’t even realize how toxic the material is or what hazards it poses to them or their families. They’ll do whatever they think they should do, just to get rid of it.. If nothing else, that means oil-soaked garbage, oil in sewage pipes, oil in the ground, oil in our groundwater, and oil on clothing.. Anyone with a 3-year old, and not in possession of all the facts is in real trouble.
If it get’s into Tampa Bay.. that’s an awfull lot of coastline to police, and a hell of a lot of people to save from themselves in a hell of a lot of different scenarios.
To learn more and to help follow this link below…
http://www.seewinter.com/pre-oil-beach-clean-up-volunteer-pre-registration
Hello,
I have volunteered at shelters for years and want to do all that I can to help. I went to the link that you posted up before but it did not work. I would love to go out and help with the animals in the oil spill but I did read that you guys were looking for volunteers to work at the aquirium with the animals there so the staff can go and help the animals in affected with the spill. How can I sign up to do that, and when can I start doing this? I would love to start the training ASAP! pleaseeee let me know.
Thank You
This states the CMA is colleting donations incase they get chosen to help. So what if I send money and they don’t get chosen to help? then what?
We are keeping the funds in a restricted oil spill account. If we don’t see any oil spilled animals come through, we will forward to one of our sister facilities in the panhandle.
Me and my friends raised21.36