Captains complete Coast Guard Spill Response Training

On Thursday, April 9th, about 15 Riverwatch Captains completed the 1st Responder Awareness Level, formerly Hazwoper, training at the US Coast Guard Base at the mouth of the Buffalo River. U.S. Coast Guard Marine Science Technician Scott Wakefield led a great program on how to recognize spill incidents, conduct initial identification & assessments to provide to spill response authorities. Some of the things we learned included how to properly protect yourself from possible contamination, how to proceed to a spill location, and how to use spill response reference materials, such as a chemical's MSDS or the emergency response guide, and what information to relay to the spill response authorities; such as the Coast Guard, DEC, or even emergency personnel.

At the conclusion of the training we were all certified at the Awareness Level (notify authorities and observe spill until they arrive) for Chemical Spills and as a 1st Responder (notify authorities and take defensive measures) for Oil Spills. While this training was great for those captains that want to take their waterway vigilance to a new level we are also providing help to the Coast Guard if the need ever arose. In an incident of a massive spill of some sort Riverwatch Captains could be called into action to help relieve the initial 1st responders and continue remediation efforts.

Thank you very much to all the captains that attended, Robbyn Drake for setting up this unique educational opportunity, and specialist Scott Wakefield for his time and knowledge.

A New Season Is UP ON US!

This guy was the youngest on site....and the most inspirational. I took this photo laying on the ground, telling him it will make him look like a giant (sneak Physics lesson). Coincidently, Louis correctly modified the Tee shirt. Love OUR water is the lesson the upcoming generation gave me on Saturday. Althoug he was the youngest volunteer, due to his exceptional dad, this is his second cleanup. Teach them young!

Many firsts at this cleanup. Dead deer found.....smelly!!!! No Picture. Pictures don't smell.

An exchange student from China

Dr. Robin Harris joined us on site. Incorporating The Bailey Peninsula (and surrounding area....like anywhere in our watershed) into high school classrooms is my masters project under her guidance. If you have watershed ideas for a classroom.....If you like to write......I can pay you in pizza.

We tried a new material in combating knotweed.

The South Park Green Team logo and tee shirt went for a test ride. On sale soon at a school near YOU!

RIVERKEEPER IS GREAT

Twenty years....of hard work. Thanks for the hat. South Park is signed on in red paint (sorry...can't do the blood thing). But, Red Paint is also thicker than water.

For a complete slideshow visit http://www.buffaloschools.org/webpages/ahovey/pictures.cfm

The Water Monitor Team's St. Patrick Parade float

Five members of the Valley Community Association's Water Monitor Team rowed in a float that was a boat in the great Old Neighborhood Parade on Saturday March 14th. The streets were lined with green people eager to catch candy and to say that they knew what they were drinking. They said that because the banner on the float asked the question, "Do you know what you are drinking? - referring to the contaminants that flow down our streams to end up in Lake Erie, the source of our drinking water.

The Water Monitor Team is sampling the Buffalo River at three sites on a monthly basis and sending their data to BNR. Water Monitor Team member Kayla Hardy (a student at DaVinci High School) designed and painted the Team's banner. It was rigged on a mast in the center of the boat so that it could turn in a full circle to display on the reverse side the banner of Buffalo-Niagara Riverkeepers.

The Team members riding in the float were Kayla Hardy, Kayla Carpino, Ashley Luna, Eric Prentice, and Jordan Kulesz. Team member Chelsea Locke was marching with another VCA contingent. They were joined by Green Team members Angelo Rosati, Samantha Hayes, and Teresa Vanloan. Our camera person was South Park High School teacher (and Green Team coordinator) Adam Hovey. Ashley, Eric, and Jordan are students from South Park are Green Team members. The Green Team's major project is the restoration of the habitat of the Bailey Peninsula.

The Water Monitor Team is led by the Valley's Science Firsthand program manager, Jennifer Pigeon. The Team is one-third of the VCA's "In Our Backyard" project, a DEC-funded program to increase environmental justice in the Valley Community through gardening, composting, recycling and water monitoring programs. For more information contact Lori Overdorf or Jennifer Pigeon at 823-4707 x 4.