Marion Aller, DVM, DABTDirector, Division of Food Safety
Florida Department of Ag. & Cons. Services
DAY 1
Days 2 - 8 4/22 DWH sinks, taking the damaged
riser with it. 4/24 Oil leakage estimated at 1000
barrels/day (42K gallons) 4/28 NOAA estimates oil leakage at
5000 barrels/day.BP estimates 60-90 days to drill permanent relief well.
Days 9 - 10 4/29 President declares incident a
“Spill of National Significance” LA issues emergency declaration – MS, AL, FL follow suit next day
4/30 FL activates EOC FDACS assesses capabilities
Days 11 - 13 5/1 USCG Adm. Thad Allen
appointed Incident Commander
5/2 NOAA closes federal watersBP begins underwater use of dispersants to mitigate oil reaching surface
Days 16 – 24 0 5/2 NOAA Closes waters 5/6 FDA identifies “NOAA” method 5/7 FDA Mobile Lab plans move to
TLH 5/12 FERN activated 5/13 FDA Mobile Lab arrives 5/14 8 FERN Labs identified to run
NOAA method1st Draft Reopening Protocol
Days 30 -39 5/20 BP pulling 5K barrels from
insertion tube – concedes underestimate of total leakage
5/21 FERN notifies labs FDA will purchase needed equipment (d 9)
5/25 “Top kill” procedure starts 529 “Top Kill” halted
Days 42 - 51 6/2-3 Oil washes up on Dauphin Island
Cap installed on riser oil flow 1st piece equipment arrives (d 21,12)
6/6-8 BP manipulates vents, increases capture rate to 10k, then 14.8K barrels/d
6/10 Oil arrives Perdido Pass (AL-FL border. 2nd piece equipment arrives (d 29, 20)
Days 57 - 596/18 Florida FWCC closes 200 square
miles of state gulf (not inland) waters from Al-FL state line to west of Pensacola Bay.
Number of Labs – Alternate methods
Number samples/week/lab -
Days 62 - 79 6/21 Last item arrives – method
validation begins in earnest (d 31) 7/8 FL begins consideration to reopen
closed waters
At this point, concerns rise regarding what lab will run samples, when. Capacity issues unresolved…. Monitoring plans discussed
Days 83 - 102 7/12 Lab reports difficulty w/ background
PAH interference. Visit sister lab. 7/15 Valves on capping stack closed at
2:26 pm CDT. Oil stops flowing. 7/26-9 Method validation, LODs complete
(d 75-78, 66-9) I m after equipment 7/31 FL reopens harvest to fish
Lab loses power
Days 105 -122 8/3 Samples arrive in lab 8/19 Receive alternative method 8/20 Report first samples (17 days after
receipt -
Where do we go from here??? Triggers to activate FERN “Matching” labs to methods, surge
capacity Equipment purchases Identification: methods, LODs Reporting results Mechanism for alternative methods
Where do we go from here?? Messaging/managing expectations (what
a lab can do, what it can’t) Coordinating information sharing among
chemists, toxicologist, public health officials, regulators, affected communities (industry, consumers, buyers)
September 3, 2010