Photo By Lance Cpl. Javarre Glanton | Fire Capt. Tony Denton, supervisor of the training event, hands off the line...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- The firefighters and paramedics of Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island boarded boats last week to take on a training event that prepared them to handle maritime oil spills.
The Facilities Response Team training lasted five days and evaluated the Parris Island Fire Department’s effectiveness for responding to an oil spill in the area.
“We’re the first responders on scene in the event of an oil spill,” said fire Capt. Ralph Stanley, one of the exercise supervisors. “We’re extremely confident that if something happened, we could go out and mitigate the problem right away.”
The exercise required at least three boats to deploy to the affected area – two utility boats and one platform or boom boat.
Boom boats lay down the deflecting boom, which is a cordon line made to section off the contaminated area in the water, the utility boats monitor and regulate the boom while patrolling the area.
Once that job has been completed, a skimmer boat is then needed to retrieve the boom and the anchors used to keep the boom in place.
“Once we’re alerted for an oil spill, we launch Utility Boat One and Utility Boat Two.” Stanley explained. “Then we recall the personnel, get the platform boat out there with the two utility boats. Once we get other personnel and boats out there, that’s when we really get it all done.”
The initial training is 40 hours and is followed-up by a mandatory eight hours. of refresher training
“It’s been going according to plan – we haven’t had any mishaps,” said fire Capt. Tony Denton, another supervisor of the training. “We got out there and did things right.”
During the evaluation, the personnel laid and retrieved three booms using four boats each day. They went out on the water about five hours daily followed by classroom time to refresh their routines and procedures.
“During the summer months we try to get the boats out on the water at least once a week, mainly to get the guys familiar with driving the boats and the surrounding waterways,” Denton explained. “Sometimes we get low-tide, high-tide and oyster beds pop up overnight so we’ve got to keep our guys used to it.”
Through the years of training, those who are used to the routine pass on their knowledge and wisdom to those who may be fairly new to it.
“We’ve been doing the FRT here for about 10 years,” Stanley said.
“There’s a lot of stuff that goes into this that becomes second nature to us with all the training. The guys who are really familiar with handling boats help out the guys who may not be so confident in it.”
With the time, effort and dedication put into the projects and training of the Parris Island Fire Department, they ensure the safety of the Marines, sailors and families aboard the depot.
| Date Taken: | 06.08.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 06.16.2011 14:41 |
| Story ID: | 72192 |
| Location: | PARRIS ISLAND, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 179 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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