Volunteer Opportunities

We do not have the resources to keep this listing up to date as the volume of activity has increased. Please rely on local sources.

07715 CDT, May 8, 2010 - BP to Hold “Vessels of Opportunity” Training in Ocean Springs. A training session will be conducted at the Ocean Springs Civic Center on 5/8/10. Start times are being reported as 8:00 by BP and 9:00 from other sources.

0714 CDT, May 8, 2010 - Beach Cleanup on Mississippi Coast. This announcement is from United Way. For other opportunities from United Way see www.volunteer.united-e-way.org

1020 CDT, May 4, 2010 - Just received this press release from Mississippi state agencies regarding basic health and safety training for volunteers in Mississippi. Multiple locations.

Attention BP - If any BP management person is reading this, please contact us. We're eager to help you but we're unable to get through to the right people via the toll-free numbers. Please let us help you protect our home.

1722, May 3, 2010 - Jefferson Parish, LA is offering HAZWOPER training in three locations beginning May 4. Details here.

1433 CDT, May 3, 2010 - BP has advised that volunteers should remove driftwood, dry grass, seaweed, and debris from beaches and shorelines likely to be affected by the spill. Removal of this material or even simply moving it to a location far above the tide line will prevent it from being contaminated with oil if the spill reaches that location. This will reduce the volume of oil-contaminated material (considered a hazardous waste requiring special handling) that must be removed. Update - We are told that residents in parts of Louisiana are being told to place bales of hay and similar materials on the shores to absorb the oil. In the absence of any specific guidance from BP and the spill management team,, my advice to volunteers is to use your own judgement in deciding what to do. The best course of action is probably one or both of the two measures.

5/3/2010 - Any volunteers with Dreamweaver experience, preferably with php/mysql knowledge. Send email to don@oilspillvolunteers.com with DREAMWEAVER in title.

5/2/2010, Ongoing. Monitor oil containment boom deployment - Volunteers can monitor the condition of booms already deployed and watch for booms that have drifted out of place and for booms with waves washing over them. Look for critical areas (particularly marshes and bayous) that are not yet protected by booms. Until a better contact point is identified, report problems to the BP community outreach office in Biloxi at 228.222.8909. We're working to identify a better point of contact. An online reporting system will be released in the afternoon on 5/2/10.

Basic Health and Safety Training, May 2, 2010 - Sessions to be held in three locations on the MS coast. Details here.

Cleanup groups needing volunteers - Please send email to Don@OilSpillVolunteers.com with GROUP NEEDING VOLUNTEERS in the title. (Please, no individual emails offering to volunteer; we can't process them.) Include a contact person's name and phone number. You'll receive a prompt call back.

Basic Health and Safety Training, May 2, 2010 - Volunteers doing outdoor work with BP are required to undergo a 20-minute health and safety training course. BP had no training sessions planned. The City and OSV secured a location and scheduled four training sessions on Sunday, May 2. A BP representative volunteered to conducted the sessions. Training will be held at The Mary C. in Ocean Springs at 9:00, 10:00, 4:00, and 5:00. No reservations are required, just show up.

Dumpsters have been placed on Front Beach and East Beach to receive collected materials. Gloves and bags will be available at the training sessions and at other locations to be determined.