Responders with the St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command shovel and bag oiled debris as part of a response to environmental impacts on Quarantine Beach, Brunswick, Ga., Sept. 23, 2019. Specialized response teams have been deployed to areas that have been impacted by the overturned motor vessel Golden Ray in St. Simons Sound. Official U.S. Coast Guard photos by Petty Officer 3rd Class Taylor Bacon.
Responders with the St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command shovel oiled debris as part of a response to environmental impacts on Quarantine Beach, Brunswick, Ga., Sept. 23, 2019. Specialized response teams have been deployed to areas that have been impacted by the overturned motor vessel Golden Ray in St. Simons Sound. Official U.S. Coast Guard photos by Petty Officer 3rd Class Taylor Bacon.
Chief Petty Officer Chris Taylor, a machinery technician in the U.S. Coast Guard, checks the shoreline of Quarantine Beach for oiled debris, Brunswick, Ga., Sept. 23, 2019. Specialized response teams with the St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command have been deployed to areas that have been impacted by the overturned motor vessel Golden Ray in St. Simons Sound. Official U.S. Coast Guard photos by Petty Officer 3rd Class Taylor Bacon.
Responders with the St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command collect oiled debris as part of a response to environmental impacts on Quarantine Beach, Brunswick, Ga., Sept. 23, 2019. Specialized response teams have been deployed to areas that have been impacted by the overturned motor vessel Golden Ray in St. Simons Sound. Official U.S. Coast Guard photos by Petty Officer 3rd Class Taylor Bacon.
Date: 9.23.19
Contact: Joint Information Center (912) 944-7122
The St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command (UC), made up of the U.S. Coast Guard, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and Gallagher Marine Systems, continues to target and mitigate shoreline pollution and refine the plan for removing pollutants from the ship. More than 200 responders are attached to the UC and nearly 60 vessels are engaged in the response.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Response teams continue environmental surveys in oil-impacted areas. Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Technique (SCAT) teams are recording observations and reporting back to the command, while pollution response teams are removing oiled sediment and debris where found. The public is reminded to not touch oil, and report any sightings of oil to (800) 424-8802 and to report any oiled wildlife to (800) 261-0980. Over 5,400 feet of oil-absorbent boom has been deployed and 24,400 feet of boom is strategically staged for use as needed.
VESSEL OPERATIONS
Response crews have removed approximately 4,350 gallons of oily water mixture from the vessel’s engine room. Inside the ship, air and water tests are being conducted to ensure safe working conditions as crews are making preliminary plans to start removing oil from tanks on board the ship.
PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
Specialists are actively monitoring air and water quality around the vessel, Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island. Members of the public are encouraged to monitor the Department of Public Health website for additional information.
ECONOMIC
Commercial traffic in the Port of Brunswick continues to move on a case by case basis. A claims number has been established for those affected by the incident (888) 850-8486.