PORT ANGELES — In the event of an oil spill, you’ll need to be certified to help rescue and rehabilitate affected wildlife.
To that end, the Clallam County Marine Resources Committee, state agencies and other partners will host a free oiled wildlife training course in Port Angeles on Feb. 11.
The deadline to register is this Friday.
Those who complete the eight-hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response, or HAZWOPER, training will receive a certificate to be eligible for active field participation in an oil spill cleanup.
The class also satisfies the annual HAZWOPER renewal requirement.
The free oiled wildlife HAZWOPER training class will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 11 — a Saturday — in Port Angeles City Council chambers, 321 E. Fifth St.
The course will teach participants how to recognize, react and protect themselves from the hazards of an oil spill, according to a Marine Resources Committee announcement.
It will cover hazardous situation recognition, personal protective equipment and decontamination procedures, as well as provide an overview of how oil spill response operations are conducted.
The class also will examine hazards associated with working around oiled wildlife.
The Marine Resources Committee is offering the free course in partnership with the state departments of Fish and Wildlife and Ecology, U.S. Coast Guard and Focus Wildlife. It is funded by the Puget Sound Partnership and the Environmental Protection Agency.
While some of the subject matter is related to oiled-wildlife-specific hazards, the training is not a wildlife handling or treatment course.
To register, click on www.oilspills101.wa.gov, navigate to the “Training” link and follow the prompts.
A similar class will be held at Everett Community College on March 18.
For questions about registration, contact Nhi Irwin at 360-407-7039 or nhoa461@ecy.wa.gov.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
