Residents and business owners of Santa Rosa County walked away with more questions than answers following a community information meeting with key officials on the local impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion.

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As the Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard take the lead in responding to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Santa Rosa County Health Department would like residents to be aware of the following health recommendations:

            ●  If the coastline becomes affected by the incident, residents should avoid entering

                areas where oil is present or can be smelled. 

            ●  If the smell of oil is present, avoid strenuous activities outside.  Stay inside in an

                air conditioned room.  Change the air conditioner filter to ensure peak performance.

            ●  Avoid direct skin contact with oil, oil-contaminated water and sediments.  Do not

               swim or water ski in areas affected by the oil spill.  If oil makes contact with your

               skin, wash it off immediately with soap and water.

            ●  Avoid boating through oil slicks or sheens.

            ●  Do not fish in the oil spill affected waters and do not harvest and eat dead fish,

                fish with oily residue or fish that have a petroleum odor.

            ●  Young children, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems

                 and underlying respiratory conditions should avoid the area.

            ●  Keep pets from entering oil-contaminated areas.

            ●  Sightings of oil residue may be reported to BP’s oil report line at 866-448-5816.

Individuals concerned about air quality issues can view an up-to-date map with pollutant concentrations at www.airnow.gov, or they can report suspected changes in air quality at http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/.  These sites also contain links to other websites with information on the government’s response to the oil spill.

The public is also advised not to attempt to help injured or oiled animals, but to report any sightings, toll free, to 866-557-1401. 

For the most up-to-date information on Florida’s Deepwater Horizon Response, stay tuned to the navarrepress.com. 

As the Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard take the lead in responding to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Santa Rosa County Health Department would like residents to be aware of the following health recommendations:

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NOAA is restricting fishing for a minimum of ten days in federal waters most affected by the BP oil spill, largely between Louisiana state waters at the mouth of the Mississippi River to waters off Florida’s Pensacola Bay. The closure is effective immediately. Details can be found at: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/. Fishermen who wish to contact BP about a claim should call (800) 440-0858.