Members deliver oiled wildlife response trainings in 3 countries

The EUROWA Network has been busy this year running our training courses for oiled wildlife response. The courses are modular and combine lectures, hands-on training, skill labs and tabletop exercises. The standardisation and professionalism across the EUROWA training portfolio is an important cornerstone for effective oiled wildlife response in Europe. So far this year, there have been courses in Belgium, Finland and the Netherlands. 

Ostende, Belgium 
In April, our network member VOC Oostende organised a BASIC course to further increase the preparedness and response capabilities in Belgium. The highly motivated trainees, including two French colleagues, spent a full day immersed in the capture, transport, stabilisation and pre-wash care of oiled birds. 16 people attended the training course and received their BASIC responder certificate. 

Helsinki, Finland 
WWF Finland also arranged a EUROWA BASIC course on the 26th of May in Helsinki as part of their national oil spill preparedness programme. 17 responders were trained by three EUROWA-qualified trainers, with some participants joining from the Korkeasaari Zoo in Helsinki. After an extensive theory session, the trainees practiced skills such as tubing birds for rehydration, as well as catching birds with the help of RoboDuck. 

The Netherlands
Our member SON Respons in the Netherlands has also been keeping up with the EUROWA training programme to prepare for large-scale incidents with oiled birds. A total of 4 EUROWA training courses were organised in the last few months: two at De Fûgelhelling Wildopvang Noord-Netherland, one at the Hague and one in Rotterdam. Participants from those courses comprised volunteers and staff from different rehabilitation centres, volunteers from Dierenambulances (Animal ambulances) and land managers from different regions in the country. SON Respons works closely with Rijkswaterstaat on a multi-year preparedness programme for wildlife response which includes running these training courses to maintain and improve national capacities.  

Overall, the different national courses increased response capacity. Moreover, having successfully completed the BASIC course, trainees can follow the EUROWA portfolio and are able to join in the future the intensive 4-day ADVANCED responder courses, improving their skills on oiled wildlife response and being able to take on more responsibility in an incident involving oiled wildlife. 

If you are interested in organising a EUROWA training course, please contact secretariat@eurowa.eu or find out more on the Training webpage.