FROM CIVIC DUTY TO DISILLUSION: One local woman's journey highlights the mess behind the cleanup

If you are buying into the hype that BP is giving jobs back to the community, think again.

After closing our business recently, due to a 40 percent drop in sales since the last weeks of April, I decided that instead of standing on the beach holding hands in protest of offshore drilling, I would take a more proactive part in the Gulf response efforts.  Having heard that no one was being allowed to participate in the actual clean up without a Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response certification, I felt it was my civic duty to become as knowledgeable and qualified as possible.  I thought starting with BP would be the most logical step.

My first call was to the BP Environmental Hotline & Community information number listed on the BP website.  After 10 minutes of spelling my name and repeating my e-mail address I was able to ask about volunteer opportunities. I was then read a scripted response that my information would be entered into a database and I would be contacted if an opportunity presented itself. I then asked about employment opportunities and was given the exact scripted response with the word employment substituting the word volunteer.

As I hung up the phone, I began the search for a site she suggested. This was a dead end. The site www.deepwaterhorizon.com is a search engine that was presumably bought by someone quickly after the spill in an attempt to make a few bucks. I then received an email from Horizon Response, typo included:

"Dear Rachelle,

nThank you for your call to the Horizon Hotline. At this time BP is not accepting job applications for positions related to the Deep Water Horizon incident. All positions relating to the oil spill will be filled by qualified, local hires in the states impacted. Should you be interested in applying for available jobs, we suggest you contact the Local State Workforce or Employment Commission in the affected areas. Thank you, Horizon Response Team"

Frustrated but not ready to quit, I found the correct site was www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com and contained the same information as the original BP site. I managed to find another email address at www.co.okaloosa.fl.us and received an unscripted response that there were no jobs or volunteer opportunities other than coastal watch. I still felt I could do more than just wait for opportunities to wash up on the beach.

My next step was to search for the HAZWOPER certification course; if taken online it cost anywhere from $395 to $450. I finally found a site stating that they offered FREE HAZWOPER TRAINING. This was through a local day labor company. I was told that after 40 hours of training I would receive my HAZWOPER certification.

Though the condition of the local work force should have been my first red flag, the restroom where I was sent to take my drug test can only be compared to a truck stop off the Jersey Turnpike, I waited for my drug test results and the address for the test site.

I admit to feeing a bit sanctimonious. I was going to DO SOMETHING! Finally, I could pass my information to all of the others that were interested in helping save our Gulf! Eight hours into Monday's class I was quickly knocked from my pedestal.

I arrived to an empty banquet room where the instructor "Johnny D" was setting up his projector. The two men that were outside smoking found their way in a few minutes later and began chatting with Johnny D about his role in the clean-up effort.  He was a salaried employee of the labor provider that was contracted by BP to train workers. His pay was the same, regardless of the job and as long as he had a “Budweiser and can of Spam he was happy, it didn't matter where he was.”

I sat in the second row listening to the banter. "Is it easy to find work?" "Sure, I've placed about 140 people in the past 3 weeks." "What's the pay?" "From $10-18 per hour for pick-up."Do they cover travel?" "Yep. You get $75 a day per diem and a hotel." This seemed to satisfy the two men and they settled into conversation amongst themselves. About 10 minutes to seven, over 40 men (and three women) arrived by bus from the labor company, most carrying a backpack, hardhat, and steel-toed boots.

The instructor introduced himself and the two other men that were there to assist and after discussing breaks, lunch, how long the course would last, why hard hats were required, various baseball games, and his wife's resemblance to Betty Boop, he finally began to get into the HAZWOPER training.

The first 40 minutes went as I expected. I've sat through OSHA certification. But after a ten minute break, the following half hour was spent discussing the background check that would be conducted before any of us were allowed onto a job site. Six men got up and left the class, though one stated he had a cold and didn't want to get the rest of the class sick. Then, as the discussion pursued one man after another asked for the definition of felony and if sex crimes are considered felonies. One lady wasted ten minutes asking why they waited until they got to the class to be told about the background check. Two more men left the class. Yet another 20 minutes passed with questions regarding drug testing, what drugs were they checking for, how often would they be tested, could the $75 per diem be used to buy whatever they wanted, could they bunk up and buy beer with the money, could they bring their kids with them to the job site and if not paying child support would show up on a background check?

We then took another break.

By this time, alarm bells were sounding but I had made a commitment. After five hours of generalized OSHA safety standards, we took an hour lunch break. I quickly left to clear my head and remind myself that I was there for a reason: civic duty.

Lunch break ended and before jumping back into the information yet another conversation about drug testing, sex crimes, and jokes about not paying child support ensued. During the next two hours, one full hour was spent discussing the bad call that prevented Galarraga from achieving a perfect game.

I then came close to hyperventilation after finding out that we would be paired up to do a fit test where you are fitted for your respirators. We were also told that we would work in teams of three to five people. There was not one single person in the room that I would allow assist me with life saving apparatus nor would I work in a team with people for whom the primary concern was the definition of felony. We were then informed that we would NOT receive our certificate stating that we had participated in the HAZWOPER certification. This would be held on file at the labor company and for $450 we would receive a copy. I had asked that particular question when filling out the application and was told that I would receive the certificate.

I waited impatiently for the next break and then left. I was incredibly agitated at being told there were no jobs only to find out that the people being paid to clean up our beaches were the same ones that had been sleeping under the boardwalk a week prior.

My flight or fight instinct kicked in and I chose flight.

But it wasn’t all for naught, I learned that the longer we wait, the more of a joke we become to BP. We have told them that it is OK to throw money at us, to ignore our suggestions, and to tell us there is nothing we can do as they hire workers that had nothing to lose prior to this disaster. Stop blaming the president. Let's look at ourselves and decide what we are willing and able to contribute to minimizing the damage and speed the recovery process.

 It is up to us to hold our local officials accountable for ensuring that BP is following through on their promise to “give back to the affected communities.”

Rachelle Roubique is a Destin and New York City resident. She is a neuroscience student at Columbia University, a former local restaurant owner and annoyed citizen.