Experts in disaster response from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) spoke to 100 students at Saratoga Elementary School in Springfield, VA, USA, on 17 April 2013 about how the organisation assisted the U.S. Coast Guard in the cleanup of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The assembly at the school took place in recognition of Earth Day 2013.
Geospatial analysts Ty Marr and Steve Bricker, members of NGA’s 2010 oil spill response team, along with Patrick Henry College student and NGA intern Evan Johnson, taught fifth-grade students about the incident and the effort that went into limiting its effects on the environment. Students participated in an interactive demonstration, during which they created their own small-scale oil spill and used various types of containment mechanisms to simulate booms and detergent dispersants.
The 5th graders learned where the Gulf of Mexico is on a map, viewed aerial photos of the oil spill and the containment methods used in the gulf and learned about how each containment method is used. They also had the chance to ask questions about oil spills and their impact on the environment.
NGA responds to what are referred to as spills of national significance (SONS) when requested by a lead federal agency. SONS are spills that due to their severity, size or location require coordination across federal, state and local entities. Deepwater Horizon resulted in a massive response to protect the natural resources in the area surrounding the spill. The U.S. Coast Guard employed NGA’s geospatial expertise to assess the areas of concern for potential environmental impact, employ technology and analysis to help direct cleanup efforts in the areas of the greatest need and provide safety of navigation during controlled burns.
After the assembly, Saratoga Elementary School Principal Pat Conklin recalled swimming off the coast of California during that time. While in the water, she could not see the surface oil, however, once on shore, she recalls being covered in patches of oil, known as tarballs.
On 22 April 2013, the winners of an Earth Day poster contest held school wide are recognised. The visits to the school are part of NGA’s Partners in Education (PIE) program. NGA’s PIE program supports the agency’s strategy by encouraging continued science, technology, engineering and mathematics education to build future generations of NGA analysts.
(Spill-international, Edited by Topco)