Blog

The OWCN is excited to announce Oilapalooza 2024, which will be held in sunny Bakersfield, CA!

This year we will be making the structure of the conference even more interactive and exciting. Day One will be similar to our previous Oilapalooza events, consisting of lectures and other interactive activities. So, what’s different about this year? We will be running a Full-Deployment Drill (FDD) at the OWCN’s newest inland response facility at the California Living Museum (CALM).  

Earlier this week, JJ and I spent the day in Rancho Cordova at the Prairie City State Vehicular Recreation Area (near Sacramento) for an All-Terrain-Vehicle (ATV) training. JJ has had practice driving ATVs in Guatemala with his uncle, but had never had formal training, and I took this training many years ago when I had just started at OWCN. So, it was good for both of us to spend the day with Mia Roberts from CDFW-OSPR as she instructed us (and two OSPR Game Wardens) on how to operate ATVs safely. 

Our Network of oiled wildlife responders would not exist without the amazing fleet of volunteers dedicating time and expertise to caring for wildlife throughout California. This week we have spotlighted 8 individuals who were nominated by our Management Team for their significant contributions to the Network in the last year. 

In the last several months the OWCN Management Team has had the opportunity to narrow in on one of our 4 R's, Reaching Out. 

You may be wondering, What is our reach? 

This is a good question, we wonder too. Where we see it first hand, is at various tabling events. We are able to fully immerse ourselves in conversation with the people from all over. Another way we reach out is here, through our blog, our quarterly newsletter and our social media accounts. 

Dear OWCN friends-

I hope everyone is doing well! I wanted to share with the Network some news regarding leadership at OWCN - I have decided that the time is right to step down as OWCN Director.

Hello OWCN Network. My name is Jose Javier Cruz. I am the newest member of the OWCN team and the new Wildlife Operations Specialist.

How did I get here? Since I was a little kid, I was always drawn towards wildlife. I spent countless hours watching wildlife documentaries and learning about the local species. When the time came to decide on what to study in university, you can guess what I went for… a major in Wildlife Biology and a minor in business, in Guatemala.

This is a question that we often get asked. Probably the second most asked question after, "Do you really use Dawn for washing oil off animals?" I get it: it is unusual to meet people that have a job with the sole purpose of caring for wildlife when they get oiled! I count myself as incredibly lucky to have such a job. Fortunately, though, oil spills that affect wildlife in our area do not happen every day, so it is logical that people question what we do the rest of the time.

From HAZWOPER Courses to Oilapalooza and even a Deployment Drill, we are working hard behind the scenes to help you keep your skills sharp.

Group Shot from our 2023 Hazing and Deterrence Summit

We have an exciting year planned, and even a little glimpse into the first quarter of the 2025 year.  Some of this is still in development, please keep an eye out for more communication as we move through the 2024 year. 

In the OWCN, Readiness is not just about having personnel and gear ready to respond. It is also about taking care of ourselves and our team. Building trust, maintaining good relationships and continuing to communicate effectively will always be the goal. 

So with that.. 

Last week the OWCN Management Team had quite the day on the town participating in some team bonding. It is not easy to get us all together in person, but once in a blue moon we come together and have a little fun. We sure did have fun. 

Reaching out may be one of the less emphasized R’s of the OWCN’s four R’s (Readiness, Response, Reaching Out, and Research), but is a very important part of the OWCN’s program. Last month we had the opportunity to participate in SeaWorld’s Inside Look Community Partners Day. The purpose of this event was to give the visiting public an opportunity to glimpse behind the scenes, talk to animal care specialists, and highlight SeaWorld’s valuable partners.