Despite plan, not a single fire boom on hand on Gulf Coast at time of oil spill

[Lagomorph]

f U.S. officials had followed up on a 1994 response plan for a major Gulf oil spill, it is possible that the spill could have been kept under control and far from land.

The problem: The federal government did not have a single fire boom on hand.

The "In-Situ Burn" plan produced by federal agencies in 1994 calls for responding to a major oil spill in the Gulf with the immediate use of fire booms.

But in order to conduct a successful test burn eight days after the Deepwater Horizon well began releasing massive amounts of oil into the Gulf, officials had to purchase one from a company in Illinois.

When federal officials called, Elastec/American Marine, shipped the only boom it had in stock, Jeff Bohleber, chief financial officer for Elastec, said today.....

http://blog.al.com/live/2010/05/fire_boom_oil_spill_raines.html

Appears the government never acquired any fire booms. What have they been doing with their budget?

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Over-paying Halliburton to do the same half-assed job that they did in Iraq.

I am sure that is only the tip of the iceberg as far as safety precautions that were not adhered to or totally ignored.

[RC]

2. Anybody check Cheney's bank account?

Bonuses for Halliburton executives?

[BeFree]

3. *$&8@!##

[SammyWinstonJack]

4. My thoughts exactly.

:banghead: