• Report tar or oiled debris on the beach 1-877-389-8932 or #DEP from a cell phone.
• DO NOT TOUCH oiled or injured wildlife. Report your finding to 1-866-557-1401.

• The beaches are open and ready for business.
• The Health Department rescinded the health advisory for a portion of the beach. The area from Walkover 23 (just west of Portofino) on Pensacola Beach to the entrance of Fort Pickens is no longer under a health advisory. The entire Gulf Islands National Seashore from Fort Pickens to Johnson Beach is still under the advisory. (More Information) (Map)
• Skimming operations successful in the gulf just off Ft. Pickens. This morning the Escambia County Sheriff’s helicopter was able to notify skimmer vessels of a two mile stretch of oil ribbons. From the water, these oil ribbons could not be seen. Six recovery vessels were dispatched and able to collect the oil before it hit the coastline.
• Pensacola and Perdido Passes – A line of mousse approximately three to five feet wide about three quarters of a mile long was visible in Perdido Bay. Scattered patches of mousse near Big Lagoon were spotted this morning. The patches are 10 to 25 feet in diameter. These areas have been reported and skimmers are responding.
• Pensacola Beach had tar balls covering one to five percent of the beaches.
• Heavy equipment is being utilized on Pensacola Beach. Work will continue tonight. The Beach Tech 2000 was moderately successful in a test area last night after several passes. Other options are still being considered.
• Perdido Key had tar balls covering three to 15 percent of the beaches.
• The local state of emergency has been extended through next Friday, July 2.

• As a safety measure and help keep the tar/oil matter from being spread, stakes and tape are being used to mark off areas of high concentration at/near Casino Beach.
• The tropical wave south of Cuba has a 80 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours. Officials continue to monitor the tropics.
• Incident Command reported 65,370 pounds of tar ball and oil material was collected on Thursday.
  Perdido Key – 14,250 pounds

  Perdido Beach – 8,625 pounds

  East Pensacola Pier – 10.575 pounds

  West Pensacola Pier – 19,020 pounds

  Gulf Islands National Seashore – 12,900 pounds

• Health Officials are providing the following guidance for coping with the stress, anxiety and depressions that may be brought on by the oil spill:
  • Reacting to a Traumatic Event
    After surviving a disaster, individuals may feel dazed or even numb. They may also feel sad, helpless, or anxious. In spite of the tragedy, some people just feel happy to be alive. These are all normal reactions to the stress of a crisis.
  • Anger
    Anger is a normal, healthy emotion that moves us to action when we have been wronged or victimized. The gulf animals and community are being victimized by the oil spill.   Significant anger regarding the events is normal.  Properly directed this anger can provide energy for recovery.  Improperly directed it is destructive, divisive and damaging.
    • • Direct anger into community involvement and help. Individuals can focus their energies on helping friends, family, community and those whose livelihoods have been affected by the oil spill.
      • Be mindful of displacing/directing anger at those close to us such as our children, spouses, family, etc.
      • Be mindful that even those who disagree with us about the crisis are likely hurting too.
      • Be part of the solution, not the problem.
  • Protect Yourself
    Just as individuals would protect themselves from the flu with a flu vaccination, these are steps that can be taken to lessen the impact of stress from the oil spill.
    • • Limit exposure to unsettling information (turn off the T.V.)
      • Spend time with family.
      • Go to church, synagogue or mosque.
      • Develop a routine of exercise and healthy living.
  • Ask for Help
    Untreated anxiety and depression, substance abuse, and isolation or lack of a support system may put individuals at greater risk of mental health impacts from the oil spill. It is important for individuals to ask for help if they:
    • • Find that they are unable to take care of themselves or their children.
      • Are not able to do their job.
      • Use alcohol or drugs to get away from their problems.
      • Feel sad or depressed for more than two weeks.
      • Think about suicide. – In this case, individuals should talk to a counselor, their physician, a community mental health organization such as Lakeview Center, or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK).
  • Children (and Adults also)
    It is important that parents help their children cope by using these measures (which can also be helpful tips for adults):
    • • Validate what children are seeing and hearing — oil is a real problem.
      • Provide hope.  Explain to children that lots of people are involved in cleaning the beaches and fixing the problem. Explain that your children will be able to go to the beach again.
      • Remember that children absorb what’s around them. Be a positive, healthy stimulus by increasing your own resiliency to the situation.
      • Give children an active role so they feel they can contribute to the beach getting better. For example, children might donate allowance money to a clean-up effort, keep their own rooms clean or spend time with friends who are also missing the beach.
      • Do not take children to the beach to actually clean oil.
  • Need Mental Health Services?
    • • Building H, which is located on the corner of “H” Street and West Lakeview Avenue on the Pensacola campus of Lakeview Center
      • Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 2 p.m.
      • 6024 Spikes Way, Milton, Fla.
      • Open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    In Escambia County:

    Lakeview Center (850) 432-1222

    Lakeview’s 24-hour Crisis Line (850) 438-1617

    Lakeview’s Walk-In Clinic (Adult Outpatient Services)

    In Santa Rosa County:

    Avalon Center of Lakeview (850) 437-8900

• Health officials would also like to remind everyone to avoid potential health impacts from an oiled shoreline:
  • Avoid entering areas where oil can be seen or smelled.
  • Avoid direct skin contact with oil, oil-contaminated water and sediments.
  • Do not swim or ski in areas affected by the oil spill, and if traveling through the area by boat, take precautions when hoisting the boat anchor. If oil makes contact with skin, wash it off with soap and water.
  • Do not fish in oil spill-affected waters.
  • Do not harvest or eat dead fish, fish with oily residue or fish that have a petroleum odor.
  • Avoid boating through oil slicks or sheens.
  • Young children, pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems, and individuals with underlying respiratory conditions should avoid the area.
  • Prevent pets from entering oil-contaminated areas.
• The sound side is still safe for swimming and gulf front beaches are still open for sunbathing and other activities above the mean high water line.

• Please be sensitive to the clean up efforts on the beaches. We understand curiosity, but officials are asking the public to avoid work areas and allow room for the workers and equipment needed to clean the beaches.
• Please do not handle or walk through the tar balls and oil. This only spreads the product and makes cleanup more difficult.
• Gulf Islands National Seashore hosts volunteer training for citizens assisting seashore visitors Saturday, June 26 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Naval Live Oaks Visitor Center, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Gulf Breeze. For more information call 850-916-3013.
• Unified Command has released a fact sheet on “If Oil is Spotted on the Shore” that provides details on what happens after the oil reaches the shore. Details.

• BP claims in Florida total 20,431 with $17,911,674.95 paid.

• Do not sign any documents in return from money from BP or anyone else until you know the extent of your loss. BP officials carry proper identification badges or business cards.
• There are reports of a scam involving individuals falsely representing themselves as BP employees and offering applicants training and job placement for a fee. BP does not charge to train applicants.  If you or someone you know has been charged for training, please contact law enforcement.
• BP’s Florida Gulf Response web site: www.floridagulfresponse.com.
• File claims with BP online: http://www.bp.com/claims.
• BP’s claims office is located at 3960 W. Navy Boulevard, Suite 16 & 17. The office is currently open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice. BP claims categories. Call 1-800-440-0858 to help expedite the process. If you are not satisfied with BP’s resolution, call 1-800-280-7118.
• The BP community outreach office is located at 435 East Government Street for questions on volunteering, vessels of opportunity program, or any other questions. Phone: 850-912-8640.
• To register as a consultant, contractor, vendor or submit information on alternative response technology, services products or suggestions, call BP at 281-366-5511.
• BP Vessels of Opportunity – see the master vessel charter agreement and vessel requirements checklist online www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com. To pick up or deliver completed Vessels of Opportunity packets, visit 435 East Government Street. For information, call 281-366-5511.
• The Fish and Wildlife Service is working with Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, contracted by BP to provide assistance to oiled wildlife. Specific safety and other requirements must be met before anyone will be allowed on-site for any participation. If you have wildlife training, call 1-866-557-1401.
• Boaters are requested to report sightings of broken, disconnected or adrift boom and are asked to keep their distance from boom especially at night or in conditions of restricted visibility. Please report damaged, vandalized, adrift or stolen boom to: 1-866-448-5816. See details.

• Latest information from NOAA Fisheries Service, including federal fisheries closure, regulation changes and quota increases: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov.

• Governor Charlie Crist sent a letter to Doug Suttles, Chief Operating Officer of Exploration and Production for BP America, Inc. requesting the data needed to evaluate the claims process and measure the economic impact of the losses to all level of governments throughout Florida. Letter
• Five skimmers were contracted by the state of Florida for this area with one skimmer designated for Escambia County.
• See Florida Department of Health information and alerts about the health effects from oil.
• See DEP’s Homeowner Tips for Protecting Florida’s Shorlines (PDF).
• The Small Business Administration issued an economic injury Disaster Loan Declaration for the state of Florida. Pensacola office: 401 E. Chase St., Ste. 100. For more information on Economic Injury Disaster Loans visit the SBA website.

• For information on the Florida Small Business Development Center’s Mobile Area Command units, visit www.floridasbdc.org/Special Programs/bcrm.asp.
• Additional guidance to help small businesses survive a disaster can be found at www.MyFloridaCFO.com or by calling 850-413-3089 or toll-free 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236).
• Submit innovative technology ideas, suggestions or products by completing this form. Send the form and supporting documentation to Innovative.Technology@dep.state.fl.us.
• Video and audio public service announcements are available for download to educate the public on response, safety, coast watch and beach cleanup. See details.
• Report boom vandalism to the 1-800-320-0519 or #DEP from your cell phone.

• Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp will visit the EOC on Monday, June 28 at 2 p.m. for an EOC briefing and tour of the facility. He will be available to the media immediately following..

• Cleaning stations have been placed on both Perdido Key and Pensacola Beach at the crossovers (between the crossovers and the roadways) to aid in the removal of tar and oil. Clean-up crews continue to work both beaches at night when temperatures are cooler.
• “Hot shot” teams are responding to specific requests during the day as needed.
• Staff continue to monitor clean-up efforts and skimming operations.
• Skimmer vessels continue to respond as reports are received. Skimmers are working nightly.
  
• A federal website is live providing real time information about the Deepwater Horizon BP Oil spill into one customizable, interactive map.
• A  Recreational Vessel Decontamination Facility for local boaters is being established.
• Reports vary widely throughout the day as heat from the sun brings subsurface oil to the top, and cooler temperatures at night tend to cause it to sink below the surface.

• Anyone caught destroying, disturbing or stealing boom will be prosecuted. If you spot any illegal activity related to the booms, please call 1-800-320-0519.
• See Escambia Inland Waterways Deployed Boom List.
• Perdido Pass, Pensacola Pass and Bayou Texar are navigationally restricted during flood (incoming) tide and reopen during ebb (outgoing) tide as water flows out to the gulf. They are manned to allow access to necessary vessel traffic. (See NOAA tide predictions.)
• Boaters are asked to be mindful of the boom and skimming operations, to use slow speeds so as not to produce a wake that may disrupt the boom, and to be aware of restricted areas.
• A flashing light has been attached to all boom to increase visibility to boaters.
• The Intracoastal Waterway remains open.

• The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in coordination with Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Department of Health, issued an executive order to temporarily close a portion of coastal state waters offshore of Escambia County to the harvest of saltwater fish, crabs and shrimp. Details.
• The closure includes state waters from the beaches out nine nautical miles into the Gulf from the Alabama line east to the Pensacola Beach water tower. Interior bays and estuaries remain open to fishing. This area covers approximately 23 miles of Florida’s coastline in Escambia County. Map.
• Recreational catch-and-release fishing is still allowed.
• The Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier and the Pensacola Bay Fishing Bridge are open for sightseers and fishing, however fishing off the Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier is catch and release only.
• Reconnaissance flights and ATV beach patrols are being conducted daily, weather permitting, to monitor Florida’s shoreline for impact.
• Unified command continues to check, verify the condition and make repairs as needed to currently placed booms.

• If citizens see anything unusual on the beaches, Escambia County has opened field offices on Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key to assist in answering questions from the public and to also act as staging areas for the county monitoring teams.
  • The Pensacola Beach field office is located at 5 Via Deluna, Suite 8; phone: 934-6500.
  • The Perdido Key field office is located at 13578 Perdido Key Drive; phone: 791-6905
• Staff continue to monitor and maintain boom. See Booming Locations and Booming Maps.
• Hurricane season began June 1. See the Hurricanes and Oil Spill Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Escambia County, in conjunction with the University of West Florida, is collecting gulf water samples from Santa Rosa Island and Perdido Key routinely to indicate any changes in water quality. The latest testing came back negative for aliphatic hydrocarbons, meaning no dissolved or dispersed hydrocarbons were found. Tar balls represent a different and less toxic form of the oil.
• On inland waters (bays, bayous, estuaries, rivers), private property owners may install oil absorbent material, booms or fences on private property above the mean high waterline (MHWL) only. No material may be installed or sprayed below the MHWL.
• On gulf-front property, the use of silt fences, obstructions, hay bales, peat, surfactants or other material is not approved. DEP is the permitting agency for beaches and coastal systems. No obstructions to sea turtle nesting behavior is allowed.

• Boom has been added by city at the Escambia Bay entrance to Gaborone Swamp off Scenic Highway.
• As requested by the city, additional boom has been placed at the mouth of Bayou Texar by the county to provide additional protection.
• Boom has been added by city to protect aquatic vegetation just south of 17th Avenue boat ramp at Bayou Texar on west side.
• DEP has boomed Project Greenshores Phase II from Muscogee Wharf to Hawkshaw Lagoon.
• Boom has been added by the city across entrance to Pitt Slip Marina in the very near future, as warranted.
• Boom has been added by the city to entrance of new Maritime Park bulkhead mitigation site immediately west of Crab Trap restaurant.
• City is currently requesting/seeking approximately 1100′ of boom to secure and protect the rip-rap surrounding the Bruce Beach wetland mitigation site maintained by the Port of Pensacola.
• Boom has been added by city to protect shoreline of Sanders Beach-Corrine Jones community center and waterfront park facility immediately east of Bayou Chico.

• The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has determined volunteers cannot be used in any situation where they may come in contact with oiled shorelines or oiled wildlife.
• To volunteer, visit www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org.

• If you see a tar ball on the beach, DO NOT PICK IT UP. Report it to 1-877-389-8932.
• The Escambia County Health Department offers advice to residents experiencing symptoms from odors associated with the oil spill. (See details at www.escambiahealth.com.)
• Florida Department of Health Deepwater Horizon Health Information FAQs.
• Seafood Consumption FAQs.

Wildlife

• Do not attempt to rescue oiled or injured birds or wildlife as this may cause additional injuries.
• If oiled, injured or dead wildlife are found, call 1-866-557-1401. Provide location where the wildlife was sighted.

Boats

• Boats should keep a safe distance from the booms. Do not drive boats over booms.
• Do not drive boats through slicks or sheens.

Personal Safety

• Gulf coast residents may detect an odor because of the oil spill. Some are more sensitive to these odors and may experience nasal irritation and feelings of nausea. In combination with seasonal allergies or pre-existing respiratory conditions, some may experience more severe symptoms. For Air Quality Reports, see http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/air.html.
• Individuals who have pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthma or other respiratory illness should contact their health care provider if feeling symptomatic.
• If you see or smell oil, leave immediately. Avoid skin contact with oil or oil-contaminated water. Do not swim or ski in areas affected by oil, and if you travel through the area by boat, take care when hoisting the anchor. Restrict pets from entering oil-contaminated areas. If you get oil on your skin, wash it off with soap and water. Young children, pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems, and individuals with underlying respiratory conditions should avoid the area.
• Do not fish in the oil spill-affected waters. Do not harvest and eat dead fish, fish with oily residue or fish that have a petroleum odor.

• More information about what types of damages are eligible for compensation under the Oil Pollution Act as well as guidance to seek compensation can be found at www.uscg.mil/npfc.
• Florida emergency management and economic development staff are gathering information from businesses impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Please complete their survey and help shape Florida’s response to this event. The survey will be updated periodically.
• Take detailed records of cancelled reservations. When cancellations occur, ask the party if the cancellation is related the oil spill. Keep the person’s name and contact information, and the revenues lost as a result of the cancellation.
• Businesses negatively impacted due to the oil spill, are asked to keep detailed profit and loss records should a claim need to be presented. Calculate estimated losses for a six-week period and have records, receipts and documentation to support your claim. Compare business to a five-year average of revenues between May and June, which can offer insight as to the damages incurred.
• Make a detailed list of assets, including non-structural, and include supportive records. If your hotel or restaurant is within walking distance to the beach, the business’s assets could be damaged even though there is no physical damage to the structure. Please record this depreciation.

• • Report oil on the beach or shoreline: 1-877-389-8932 or #DEP from a cell phone
  • To report oiled wildlife: 1-866-557-1401
  • BP Claims: 1-800-440-0858
  • To report damaged, vandalized, adrift or stolen boom: 1-866-448-5816 or 1-800-320-0519
  • Escambia County Citizen’s Information Line: 471-6600
  • Florida Oil Spill Information Line: 1-888-337-3569

• Report tar or oiled debris on the beach 1-877-389-8932 or #DEP from a cell phone.
• DO NOT TOUCH oiled or injured wildlife. Report your finding to 1-866-557-1401.

• Unified Command reported 1,225 clean up crewmembers on the beaches today, from the Alabama line east to the Santa Rosa County line.
• As a safety measure and help keep the tar/oil matter from being spread, stakes and tape are being used to mark off areas of high concentration at/near Casino Beach.
• Heavy equipment is being utilized on Pensacola Beach. Seven front-end loaders are staged for use. The rakes did not work well with the heat this morning. As a result, four Beach Tech 2000s are planned for use this evening.
• Pensacola Pass – a line of tar balls near Big Lagoon was spotted this morning, skimmer vessels were en route. From the air this morning, a line of mousse was spotted in the bay and skimmers were already working the area.
• Perdido Pass – a line of tar balls and tar patties was been reported to Unified Command.
• Aerial information indicated better conditions than yesterday. The oil product is spotted easier from the air than from the water.
• Waves and currents are forecast to push northwest for the next few days, which in conjunction with winds will inhibit a further eastward movement of the oil plume.
• The tropical wave just south of Cuba has a 40 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours. Officials continue to monitor the tropics.
• Incident Command reported 44,955 pounds of tar ball and oil material was collected on Wednesday.
  West Perdido State Park- 7,500 pounds

  East Pensacola Pier – 14, 070 pounds

  West Pensacola Pier – 13,140 pounds

  Gulf Islands National Seashore – 10,245 pounds

• The health department has issued a health advisory from Walkover 23 just west of Portofino on Pensacola Beach, through the Gulf Islands National Seashore, including Ft. Pickens, west to the entrance of Johnson Beach.
• Signs have been placed in the area advising beach patrons to avoid contact with oiled beaches and the contaminated water.
• The sound side is still safe for swimming and gulf front beaches are still open for sunbathing and other activities above the mean high water line.

• Please be sensitive to the clean up efforts on the beaches. We understand curiosity, but officials are asking the public to avoid work areas and allow room for the workers and equipment needed to clean the beaches.
• Please stay above the high tide line and away from the oil. Please do not handle or walk through the tar balls and oil. This only spreads the product and makes cleanup more difficult.
• Gulf Islands National Seashore hosts volunteer training for citizens assisting seashore visitors Saturday, June 26 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Naval Live Oaks Visitor Center, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Gulf Breeze. For more information call 850-916-3013.
• Unified Command has released a fact sheet on “If Oil is Spotted on the Shore” that provides details on what happens after the oil reaches the shore. Details.

• BP claims in Florida total 19,464 with $17,636,720.79 paid.

• Do not sign any documents in return from money from BP or anyone else until you know the extent of your loss. BP officials carry proper identification badges or business cards.
• There are reports of a scam involving individuals falsely representing themselves as BP employees and offering applicants training and job placement for a fee. BP does not charge to train applicants.  If you or someone you know has been charged for training, please contact law enforcement.
• BP’s Florida Gulf Response web site: www.floridagulfresponse.com.
• File claims with BP online: http://www.bp.com/claims.
• BP’s claims office is located at 3960 W. Navy Boulevard, Suite 16 & 17. The office is currently open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice. BP claims categories. Call 1-800-440-0858 to help expedite the process. If you are not satisfied with BP’s resolution, call 1-800-280-7118.
• The BP community outreach office is located at 435 East Government Street for questions on volunteering, vessels of opportunity program, or any other questions. Phone: 850-912-8640.
• To register as a consultant, contractor, vendor or submit information on alternative response technology, services products or suggestions, call BP at 281-366-5511.
• BP Vessels of Opportunity – see the master vessel charter agreement and vessel requirements checklist online www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com. To pick up or deliver completed Vessels of Opportunity packets, visit 435 East Government Street. For information, call 281-366-5511.
• The Fish and Wildlife Service is working with Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, contracted by BP to provide assistance to oiled wildlife. Specific safety and other requirements must be met before anyone will be allowed on-site for any participation. If you have wildlife training, call 1-866-557-1401.
• Boaters are requested to report sightings of broken, disconnected or adrift boom and are asked to keep their distance from boom especially at night or in conditions of restricted visibility. Please report damaged, vandalized, adrift or stolen boom to: 1-866-448-5816. See details.

• Latest information from NOAA Fisheries Service, including federal fisheries closure, regulation changes and quota increases: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov.

• Governor Charlie Crist sent a letter to Doug Suttles, Chief Operating Officer of Exploration and Production for BP America, Inc. requesting the data needed to evaluate the claims process and measure the economic impact of the losses to all level of governments throughout Florida. Letter
• Five skimmers were contracted by the state of Florida for this area with one skimmer designated for Escambia County.
• See Florida Department of Health information and alerts about the health effects from oil.
• See DEP’s Homeowner Tips for Protecting Florida’s Shorlines (PDF).
• The Small Business Administration issued an economic injury Disaster Loan Declaration for the state of Florida. Pensacola office: 401 E. Chase St., Ste. 100. For more information on Economic Injury Disaster Loans visit the SBA website.

• For information on the Florida Small Business Development Center’s Mobile Area Command units, visit www.floridasbdc.org/Special Programs/bcrm.asp.
• Additional guidance to help small businesses survive a disaster can be found at www.MyFloridaCFO.com or by calling 850-413-3089 or toll-free 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236).
• Submit innovative technology ideas, suggestions or products by completing this form. Send the form and supporting documentation to Innovative.Technology@dep.state.fl.us.
• Video and audio public service announcements are available for download to educate the public on response, safety, coast watch and beach cleanup. See details.
• Report boom vandalism to the 1-800-320-0519 or #DEP from your cell phone.

• Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp will visit the EOC on Monday, June 28 at 2 p.m. for an EOC briefing and tour of the facility. He will be available to the media immediately following..

• Cleaning stations have been placed on both Perdido Key and Pensacola Beach at the crossovers (between the crossovers and the roadways) to aid in the removal of tar and oil. Clean-up crews continue to work both beaches at night when temperatures are cooler.
• “Hot shot” teams are responding to specific requests during the day as needed.
• Staff continue to monitor clean-up efforts and skimming operations.
• Skimmer vessels continue to respond as reports are received. Skimmers are working nightly.
  
• A federal website is live providing real time information about the Deepwater Horizon BP Oil spill into one customizable, interactive map.
• A  Recreational Vessel Decontamination Facility for local boaters is being established.
• Reports vary widely throughout the day as heat from the sun brings subsurface oil to the top, and cooler temperatures at night tend to cause it to sink below the surface.

• Anyone caught destroying, disturbing or stealing boom will be prosecuted. If you spot any illegal activity related to the booms, please call 1-800-320-0519.
• See Escambia Inland Waterways Deployed Boom List.
• Perdido Pass, Pensacola Pass and Bayou Texar are navigationally restricted during flood (incoming) tide and reopen during ebb (outgoing) tide as water flows out to the gulf. They are manned to allow access to necessary vessel traffic. (See NOAA tide predictions.)
• Boaters are asked to be mindful of the boom and skimming operations, to use slow speeds so as not to produce a wake that may disrupt the boom, and to be aware of restricted areas.
• A flashing light has been attached to all boom to increase visibility to boaters.
• The Intracoastal Waterway remains open.

• The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in coordination with Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Department of Health, issued an executive order to temporarily close a portion of coastal state waters offshore of Escambia County to the harvest of saltwater fish, crabs and shrimp. Details.
• The closure includes state waters from the beaches out nine nautical miles into the Gulf from the Alabama line east to the Pensacola Beach water tower. Interior bays and estuaries remain open to fishing. This area covers approximately 23 miles of Florida’s coastline in Escambia County. Map.
• Recreational catch-and-release fishing is still allowed.
• The Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier and the Pensacola Bay Fishing Bridge are open for sightseers and fishing, however fishing off the Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier is catch and release only.
• Reconnaissance flights and ATV beach patrols are being conducted daily, weather permitting, to monitor Florida’s shoreline for impact.
• Unified command continues to check, verify the condition and make repairs as needed to currently placed booms.

• If citizens see anything unusual on the beaches, Escambia County has opened field offices on Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key to assist in answering questions from the public and to also act as staging areas for the county monitoring teams.
  • The Pensacola Beach field office is located at 5 Via Deluna, Suite 8; phone: 934-6500.
  • The Perdido Key field office is located at 13578 Perdido Key Drive; phone: 791-6905
• Staff continue to monitor and maintain boom. See Booming Locations and Booming Maps.
• Hurricane season began June 1. See the Hurricanes and Oil Spill Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Escambia County, in conjunction with the University of West Florida, is collecting gulf water samples from Santa Rosa Island and Perdido Key routinely to indicate any changes in water quality. The latest testing came back negative for aliphatic hydrocarbons, meaning no dissolved or dispersed hydrocarbons were found. Tar balls represent a different and less toxic form of the oil.
• On inland waters (bays, bayous, estuaries, rivers), private property owners may install oil absorbent material, booms or fences on private property above the mean high waterline (MHWL) only. No material may be installed or sprayed below the MHWL.
• On gulf-front property, the use of silt fences, obstructions, hay bales, peat, surfactants or other material is not approved. DEP is the permitting agency for beaches and coastal systems. No obstructions to sea turtle nesting behavior is allowed.

• Boom has been added by city at the Escambia Bay entrance to Gaborone Swamp off Scenic Highway.
• As requested by the city, additional boom has been placed at the mouth of Bayou Texar by the county to provide additional protection.
• Boom has been added by city to protect aquatic vegetation just south of 17th Avenue boat ramp at Bayou Texar on west side.
• DEP has boomed Project Greenshores Phase II from Muscogee Wharf to Hawkshaw Lagoon.
• Boom has been added by the city across entrance to Pitt Slip Marina in the very near future, as warranted.
• Boom has been added by the city to entrance of new Maritime Park bulkhead mitigation site immediately west of Crab Trap restaurant.
• City is currently requesting/seeking approximately 1100′ of boom to secure and protect the rip-rap surrounding the Bruce Beach wetland mitigation site maintained by the Port of Pensacola.
• Boom has been added by city to protect shoreline of Sanders Beach-Corrine Jones community center and waterfront park facility immediately east of Bayou Chico.

• The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has determined volunteers cannot be used in any situation where they may come in contact with oiled shorelines or oiled wildlife.
• To volunteer, visit www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org.

• If you see a tar ball on the beach, DO NOT PICK IT UP. Report it to 1-877-389-8932.
• The Escambia County Health Department offers advice to residents experiencing symptoms from odors associated with the oil spill. (See details at www.escambiahealth.com.)
• Florida Department of Health Deepwater Horizon Health Information FAQs.
• Seafood Consumption FAQs.

Wildlife

• Do not attempt to rescue oiled or injured birds or wildlife as this may cause additional injuries.
• If oiled, injured or dead wildlife are found, call 1-866-557-1401. Provide location where the wildlife was sighted.

Boats

• Boats should keep a safe distance from the booms. Do not drive boats over booms.
• Do not drive boats through slicks or sheens.

Personal Safety

• Gulf coast residents may detect an odor because of the oil spill. Some are more sensitive to these odors and may experience nasal irritation and feelings of nausea. In combination with seasonal allergies or pre-existing respiratory conditions, some may experience more severe symptoms. For Air Quality Reports, see http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/air.html.
• Individuals who have pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthma or other respiratory illness should contact their health care provider if feeling symptomatic.
• If you see or smell oil, leave immediately. Avoid skin contact with oil or oil-contaminated water. Do not swim or ski in areas affected by oil, and if you travel through the area by boat, take care when hoisting the anchor. Restrict pets from entering oil-contaminated areas. If you get oil on your skin, wash it off with soap and water. Young children, pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems, and individuals with underlying respiratory conditions should avoid the area.
• Do not fish in the oil spill-affected waters. Do not harvest and eat dead fish, fish with oily residue or fish that have a petroleum odor.

• More information about what types of damages are eligible for compensation under the Oil Pollution Act as well as guidance to seek compensation can be found at www.uscg.mil/npfc.
• Florida emergency management and economic development staff are gathering information from businesses impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Please complete their survey and help shape Florida’s response to this event. The survey will be updated periodically.
• Take detailed records of cancelled reservations. When cancellations occur, ask the party if the cancellation is related the oil spill. Keep the person’s name and contact information, and the revenues lost as a result of the cancellation.
• Businesses negatively impacted due to the oil spill, are asked to keep detailed profit and loss records should a claim need to be presented. Calculate estimated losses for a six-week period and have records, receipts and documentation to support your claim. Compare business to a five-year average of revenues between May and June, which can offer insight as to the damages incurred.
• Make a detailed list of assets, including non-structural, and include supportive records. If your hotel or restaurant is within walking distance to the beach, the business’s assets could be damaged even though there is no physical damage to the structure. Please record this depreciation.

• • Report oil on the beach or shoreline: 1-877-389-8932 or #DEP from a cell phone
  • To report oiled wildlife: 1-866-557-1401
  • BP Claims: 1-800-440-0858
  • To report damaged, vandalized, adrift or stolen boom: 1-866-448-5816 or 1-800-320-0519
  • Escambia County Citizen’s Information Line: 471-6600
  • Florida Oil Spill Information Line: 1-888-337-3569