Response

Every month our Emergency Response Division provides scientific expertise and services to the U.S. Coast Guard on everything from running oil spill trajectories to model where the spill may spread, to possible effects on wildlife and fisheries, and estimates on how long the oil may stay in the environment.

Here are some of April’s notable incidents ... 

As a scientific support coordinator (SSC) for NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration, one question that I always get from friends and family is: “Is it true that Dawn dishwashing detergent is used to clean oiled wildlife?”

Well, the answer is yes. Many agencies and organizations use Dawn dish detergent in their cleaning efforts, including Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research — one of the premier wildlife response organizations in the U.S. and globally.

As part of our ongoing commitment to share our expertise in spill response with other nations, the Emergency Response Division recently hosted a delegation from China’s National Marine Hazard Mitigation Service.

The Chinese agency requested the meeting to learn about our strategies and tools for responding to environmental hazards and to exchange information about China’s marine emergency response programs.