Online Oiled Wildlife Response Training

The University of California at Davis, USA and Massey University, New Zealand have jointly developed university endorsed and research driven online Oiled Wildlife Response Training (OWRT). The first level “Foundations in oiled wildlife response” is now online and available for participation at https://owrt.org/. Second level courses including “Rehabilitation and facilities in oiled wildlife response” will be available by early 2019. 

These courses are developed by the only two Universities in the world with comprehensive oiled wildlife readiness and response programs. These world leaders in higher education are also at the forefront of oiled wildlife research – advancing knowledge of best practice in the management and care of oiled wildlife. UC Davis and Massey University have led more than 70 oiled wildlife responses throughout the world, meaning this OWRT has been developed and delivered by highly experienced oil response researchers, trainers, and practitioners. OWRT trains to international best practice standards for oiled wildlife response and management. For more information and to enrol please visit our website https://owrt.org/

Foundations Course Overview:
Foundations in oiled wildlife response covers the fundamental elements needed for a person to be involved in an oiled wildlife response. There are eight online modules to the Foundations course including: 

Topic 1: Petroleum

• Components and types of petroleum
• Hazard and risk associated petroleum
• Weathering of oil

Topic 2: Historical spill information

• The changing sources of spilled oil
• Circumstances and consequences of example oil spills

Topic 3: Effects of petroleum when spilled

• Areas affected by an oil spill
• The effects of oil on animals

Topic 4: Advanced preparation for oil spills (Preparedness)

• Advanced planning necessary to respond to an oil spill 

Topic 5: The oil spill response

• Goals of an oil spill response
• Overall oil spill response timeline
• Overall oil spill response structure
• Rules governing an oil spill response

Topic 6: The oiled wildlife response

• Why we respond to wildlife
• Goals of a wildlife response
• Factors affecting the scope of a wildlife response
• Functional activities of an oiled wildlife response

Topic 7: You as a responder

• Notification, mobilization and demobilization
• How to get hands on experience
• Go-bag
• Considerations

Topic 8: Health and Safety

• Human safety first
• Types of hazards
• Reducing risk
• Hot zone, cold zone and warm zone/contamination reduction zone

For more information and to enrol please visit our website https://owrt.org/