Florida Deepwater Horizon Response July 22, 2010
TALLAHASSEE – Under the leadership of Governor Charlie Crist, the State Emergency Response Team and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are actively coordinating and responding to the Deepwater Horizon incident.
Message of the day: Camp Beyond the Horizon
To help children cope with stress caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Lutheran Services Florida (LSF), in partnership with the Florida Department of Children and Families and other local sponsors, will provide a therapeutic camp experience. Camp Beyond the Horizon will address the educational and emotional needs of children affected by the disaster. Camp Beyond the Horizon is specifically designed for children in grades kindergarten through six. The camp allows children to process their experiences and their grief in a safe, supportive, caring atmosphere that also offers fun and recreation. The week-long camps will be held in churches and community centers in the affected areas. There is no cost to families for children to participate. The first four camps are scheduled as follows:
July 26-30: Grace Lutheran Church, Pensacola
July 26-30: St. Paul Lutheran Church, Pensacola
August 2-6: Grace Lutheran Church, Pensacola
August 16-20: St. Luke Methodist Church, Pensacola
Other camps will be scheduled based on need. Visit the LSF website for information regarding registration and volunteer opportunities.
Current Situation
· The State Emergency Operations Center is activated at Level 1 or full activation.
· The State continues to focus on mitigating impacts to Florida’s shoreline.
· A tropical wave in the Southwest Atlantic near the southern Bahamas has a 100 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression or tropical storm today and the National Hurricane Center will begin issuing advisories on the system at 11 a.m. Tropical Storm Watches and Warnings are likely for portions of southern Florida and heavy rains and gusts may begin to impact portions of South Florida tonight.
· A tropical wave in the Bay of Campeche has a 50 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression within the next 48 hours before moving inland over Mexico.
· On July 21, the State Emergency Response Team, in coordination with DEP announced the removal of supplemental Tier 3 boom within the next 72 to 96 hours in the Northwest Florida counties. The removal is in light of the potential tropical activity in the Gulf of Mexico. Learn more.
· On July 21, Governor Crist issued Executive Order 10-169, authorizing property appraisers to provide interim assessments of properties affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster. Property appraisers in the 26 counties under the current state of emergency declaration are granted authorization to provide an interim assessment of any property that may have declined in value due to the oil spill.
· State reconnaissance teams operating by air, land and sea continue to identify potential impacts and are actively coordinating with cleanup teams. View the latest reconnaissance reports.
· Four Florida branch offices are fully operational in Northwest Florida. These branch offices bring together federal, state and local agencies to streamline response efforts.
· Currently Deepwater Horizon is not discharging any oil into the Gulf of Mexico. BP continues the well integrity test, which is being closely monitored. Learn more.
· Isolated impacts are expected to continue in Northwest Florida over the next 72 hours. Nearly 90 percent of Florida’s more than 1,260 miles of coastline remains unimpacted.
· Oil Impact Notices are posted for all Escambia County and Walton County Gulf beaches, as well as designated beaches in Okaloosa County. Signs may remain in place until local authorities determine that beaches are no longer impacted by the oil spill. Learn more.
· The current federal fisheries closure in the Gulf of Mexico measures 83,927 square miles. This leaves approximately 65 percent of Gulf federal waters available for fishing. This federal closure does not apply to any state waters. Learn more.
· A portion of coastal state waters offshore of Escambia County is closed to the harvest of saltwater fish, crabs and shrimp. Learn more.
Learn More About Florida’s Response:
· Visit www.deepwaterhorizonflorida.com to learn more about Florida’s response to the Deepwater Horizon incident, sign up for daily updates, view tips for businesses and consumers, find a listing of Unified Command, BP and Florida phone numbers, and more.
· The Oil Spill Information Line is available at 1-888-337-3569 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. seven days a week. Persons with disabilities can contact 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (voice).
