Half Moon Bay: Haz-Mat Training, Thu Night and Sat Afternoon

In addition to Thursday evening training, there will be two more meetings on Saturday at the "new" firehouse in Half Moon Bay.

• Thursday, Nov 15 5pm - 9pm - IDES Hall, 735 Main Street, HMB
• Saturday, Nov 17 8am - 12pm - The Firehouse Depot, 110 Higgins Canyon Rd,
• HMB Saturday, Nov 17 1pm - 5pm - The Firehouse Depot, 110 Higgins Canyon Rd, HMB

Registration is not required; however, San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services is asking all interested volunteers to register at www.smcalert.info and select the Coastside and/or Bayside CERT Groups.

We have been advised that it is mandatory that volunteers attend a 4-hour training session in order to be allowed onto and help clean up the beaches. Trampling of the oil into the sand in a disorganized effort will push the oil balls deeper into the sand making it harder to clean up in the long run as more material will need to be removed. At present volunteers who received the training yesterday in Pacifica are waiting for the call for deployment. They have been told it is currently in the hands of the O'Brian group, the paid contractors hired by the "Responsible Party" to clean up the oil spill.

The City of Pacifica will announce how to get your training card as soon as the final details have been worked out. San Mateo County has opened an oil spill volunteer hotline with a recorded message announcing upcoming training opportunities. The hotline number is (650) 363-4099.

For beach closures, hotlines and websites go to:http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/smc/department/home/0,,1954_191102_187763,00.html