Public Safety Signals
A discussion of Public Safety issues and why they matter
Deepwater Horizon Disaster
2010 May 4 Posted by Charles
Parts of the southern U.S.A. are in a state of emergency after the explosion, and subsequent sinking, of the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling platform. Unfortunately the explosion and sinking has resulted in a major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the likes of which we have never witnessed. Aside from the multiple deaths from the explosion, a major ecological, environmental and economic catastrophe is slowing unfolding acorss the Gulf states.
Multiple response agencies are involved trying desperately to stop the flow of oil. Currently 5,000 barrels of oil per day are pouring into the water. Experts estimate that currently the oil slick is the size of Delaware and growing. A novel containment system is being fashioned to be deployed in the next few days with the hopes of containing the oil and then moving it to the surface.
Once the oil flow is contained an unprecedented clean-up and recovery situation will begin. I suspect that this disaster will become known as the one of the worst enviornmental, ecological and economic disasters of our time and perhaps of U.S. history.
I welcome any comments and observations from residents, emergency workers or volunteers from the impacted coastal states.
2 Responses to “Deepwater Horizon Disaster”
Charles Says:
Mark, thanks for the reply and comments. I just read a story that chronicled the issues from the devastation of the Exxon Valdez disaster now several decades later. The catastrophe in the Gulf will surely have a long-term impact and I do hope that some of the measures currently underway are successful in stopping the flow.
Charles
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Public Safety Signals provides a venue for those working or interested in the public safety field to join in a conversation about the latest news, trends and important issues related to public safety.
Authors
Dr. Steven Barthelmeus
Program Chair,Public Safety – Criminal Justice/Forensics program, Capella University
Dr. Jeffrey Rush
Asst. Professor of Criminal Justice/Homeland Security, Dept. of Public Management and Criminal Justice, Austin Peay State University
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Mark Matta Says:
This disaster will certainly have lasting economic and environmental effects on the gulf states. The oil and fishing industries are two of the largest sources of income for Louisiana and its residents. All new drilling has been halted until investigations are conducted and safeguards are implemented. Louisiana provides roughly 1/3 of this country’s seafood right out of the gulf.
5000 bbls a day is a huge amount of leakage. One barrel is equal to 42 gallons! I recently witnessed the cleanup of a spill of five barrels of oil at one of the facilities I do inspections. This spill happened months prior to cleanup and an individual attempted to cover it up with gravel. After a heavy rain, oil started to surface everywhere in a 50 foot radius from the site of the spill. This is from five barrels. The Deepwater Horizon spill is estimated to be at around 3 million barrels…so far.
May 7th, 2010 at 8:19 pm