In May 2010, Alabama Coastal Foundation and Mobile Baykeeper worked with COAST partners to develop and implement the Volunteer Field Observer (VFOB) Program in response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Release. The goal of the program is to train volunteers to serve as citizen scientists, documenting shoreline conditions along Alabama's shoreline using GPS coordinates and alerting officials and COAST partners to the presence of oil and/or affected wildlife.
Requirements
VFOBs must
- Be over the age of 18
- Practice the Buddy System at all times with a trained partner
- Commit to reporting oil impacts through the official number provided
- Commit to documenting observations with GPS and Digital Photographs
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Commit to submiting reports online
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Have an email address that will be checked regularly - this will be our primary method of contact
What is the VFOB program?
When the BP Oil Release began gushing into the Gulf of Mexico this spring, the Alabama Coastal Foundation and Mobile Baykeeper began working with the US Coast Guard and the State of Alabama to devise a plan to utilize volunteers in the response effort. We wanted to provide a safe and meaningful opportunity for for the thousands who flooded our office with calls and emails. We determined one of the best things people could do is monitor shoreline areas for impacts and document those impacts to ensure that the official response was adequate and that Alabama's shorelines are protected.
Based on ACF's exisiting Shoreline Assessment Program and NOAA protocols, ACF and MBK implemented the Volunteer Field Observer Program, with the first training of over 40 people on June 1st. Volunteer Field Observers (VFOBs) patrol segments of shoreline on a regular basis, notify officials when oil is found, and document their findings with GPS coordinates and digital photographs.
Why are VFOBs needed?
Official response teams can not physically cover all shoreline areas in the northern Gulf of Mexico. That's where VFOBs come in, filling in the gaps to ensure that all of Alabama's shoreline is monitored regularly.
Many VFOBs are local residents who are familiar with our water ways and know when things change. If we hope to restore the Gulf to its former glory, we must watch our own backyards and document changes.
Problems with the online training process? Contact our webmaster.