National Spill Control School Conducts Exercise in the Corpus Christi Marina

College of Science & Technology student - Stacy Marhofer - strains to secure the boom as she participates in an oil spill response exercise conducted by Professor David Jensen’s Oil Spill Response in Ports & Inland Waterways class. The class was developed by the National Spill Control School, a division of Environmental Science in the College of Science & Technology at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

Friday, May 2nd students like Marhofer, lead by Jensen, staged and launched boats from the Cooper’s Alley L-Head in downtown Corpus Christi and proceeded to carry-out a mock response to an oil spill that could potentially threaten the recreated Columbus ship Niña, which is moored to the People’s Street T-Head a short distance away.

Students in the class spend a semester receiving hands-on training in oil spill response techniques and learn what OSHA safety topics are applicable to oil spill incidents. Upon successful completion of the course, participants receive a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion from the National Spill Control School enabling them as qualified emergency responders.

Jensen says that, “Although probably worth less in actual dollars than some of the remaining Texas Boat Show vessels still docked in the marina, the recreated Nina’s historical significance and tourism importance target it as an valuable resource that is worthy of protection from potential hazards that could deteriorate the integrity of the vessel if exposed.” Tourists milling about in downtown Corpus Christi curiously looked-on as 3 Jon boats trailing 100-foot-long, snake-like objects maneuvered around the Nina, releasing the protective barriers in position around the exposed ship. The bright orange booms, as they are called, were coerced into position by students in the Jon boats at the direction of a command boat, as well as a shore team being directed by Jensen. Once floating in place, the connected booms billowed out from the Niña like a giant battered hula hoop, protecting the wooden hull from chemical on the surface of the water that could cause it damage.

Students taking part in the exercise all fulfilled roles of what would be actual members of an Oil Spill Response Team. Marhofer played the role of Public Information Officer. Though still just an undergraduate at A&M-Corpus Christi, Marhofer not only had her hands full carrying-out the response exercise, but also deftly answered questions from Corpus Christ television and newspaper press that had arrived in response to a media alert sent out by the University. All four local television stations, as well as the Corpus Christi Caller Times sent reporters to the scene.

Stacy Marhofer is a Senior in Environmental Science, studying Biology with a minor in Business.
David Jensen is an Instructor in Environmental Science and Director of the National Spill Control School (NSCS). For more information please visit www.sci.tamucc.edu/nscs.

- Will Piatt
- Christie Hackett (photos)