US Ecology : Community Volunteer Training Program

February 23, 2022

NRC's response base in Paraíso was opened to local students to participate in a four-day classroom and hands-on oil spill response training program. Watch the video and read the full story below.

Community Volunteer Training Program

NRC, a US Ecology company, has a response base location in Mexico strategically located in Paraíso, Tabasco on the Bay of Campeche. The surrounding area is known as the hub for oil and gas operations in the southeastern coastal region of the Gulf of Mexico and is committed to enhancing the quality of life for their community using the energy of both their people as well as their natural resources.

This area of southern Mexico is flourishing and offers an abundance of higher education opportunities at local schools and technical institutions. Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Comalcalco (ITSC), a local technology college in Comalcalco, strives to engage its students in real-life experiences to enhance their curriculum. NRC has a long history of dedication to the economic and environmental well-being of the communities we live and operate in.

Erick Jimenez and Daniel Perez, responsible for Environmental Health and Safety at NRC Mexico, initiated the first community volunteer oil spill response training program through a cooperative with the National Technological Institute of Mexico (TecNM). As part of this program, they invited students majoring in environmental, agricultural and engineering sciences at ITSC to take part in a four-day environmental training program on oil spill response. Our team facilitated Incident Command System Training (ICS 100), HAZWOPER (8-hour refresher) and general preparedness for oil spill response training for 29 students. A special highlight included a day at NRC's Paraíso response base where they received some hands-on experience operating oil spill response equipment.

This unmatched outreach program offers students an insight into the response industry and a training certificate that is a valuable credential to add to their resumes. More importantly, it benefits the community as the participants are now part of an auxiliary call-out force. These specially trained community members could be asked to support NRC in mitigating local spill response events when more resources are needed to protect human health and the environment.

This unmatched outreach program offers students an insight into the response industry and a training certificate that is a valuable credential to add to their resumes. More importantly, it benefits the community as the participants are now part of an auxiliary call-out force. These specially trained community members could be asked to support NRC in mitigating local spill response events when more resources are needed to protect human health and the environment.

NRC also offers this program to students at the Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Centla, and will be extending this educational opportunity to other institutions and facilities in the area.

"We are very grateful to the schools for opening their doors to us, providing their students with an insight into our world and ultimately contributing to the environmental health and safety of the area they live in" says Erick Jimenez.

Community leaders and local educators were pleased to be able to offer such a great opportunity to their students and are looking to continue this new relationship with NRC for years to come.