During an all-day seminar, nearly 100 local volunteers learned what resources would be needed and how to perform the jobs required to rescue affected wildlife in the event of a major petroleum product spill. This seminar was held in October of 1992, nearly ten months prior to the actual disaster in Tampa Bay on August 10, 1993.

In the photo above, "wash team members" learn the washing process using vegetable oil as the simulated spill material. The washing takes at least three tubs of water at precisely 104 degrees Fahrenheit, a precise amount of detergent and forty-five minutes with four people to complete just one bird!

Not shown in the photo is the O.S.H.A. required safety gear which must be worn in the event of a real spill to protect the workers from the hazards of the spilled material.