Spill's toll felt in every breath

[highplainsdem]

Source: AP via Naples Daily News

Spill's toll felt in every breath
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted July 10, 2010 at 11:25 p.m.

Every time Linda Young takes her dog out for a walk, morning or evening, she can smell it. Young, an environmental activist who lives near the beach in Navarre, next door to Pensacola Beach, said the odor of oil is now a constant part of her life.

-snip-

Despite the warning signs, as of this week 27 people have reported they've become ill after coming in contact with oil at Pensacola Beach, according to the Escambia County Health Department. They were nauseous, coughing, short of breath, their skin was irritated — not the kind of beach visit memories the Chamber of Commerce would encourage.

For decades the Panhandle's beaches have been famous for their white sand, the polished quartz crystals sparkling brightly under the blazing sun. Now, for the first time in history, Escambia and Santa Rosa County officials have set up dozens of portable cleaning stations near the dune crossovers so any tourists who step in the oil can wash it off.

-snip-

The ripples from the disaster have spread far inland. Gas stations and convenience stores in rural Gadsden County, near Tallahassee, have long counted on tourists from Atlanta stopping by on their way down to the Panhandle beaches. This summer, the road through Gadsden County is quiet.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2010/jul/10/spills-toll-felt-every-breath/

[defendandprotect]

1. Keep on telling it -- we need to hear it all . . .!!

[waronbanks]

2. We have not yet begun to see the true scope of this.

We are only in the early stages of this catastrophe.

[ensho]

3. she and her dog should NOT be breathing that air

children and pregnant women should be sent out of any area where you can smell the oil/toxins.

pronto!

[Doremus]

4. I wonder if a gas mask would filter out the toxins. I would probably wear one anyway.

[MountainLaurel]

5. In New Orleans

We've been getting the smell on the wind about every other day for the past couple weeks.

[CoffeeCat]

6. Are people having this reaction...

...due to the oil itself or due to the dispersant, or both?

And where is our government on this...warning people, or at least researching
the air and the potential hazards?

Goddamnnit!

[tex-wyo-dem]

15. Hate to be such a pessimist/conspiracy theorist, but my suspicions...

Are that certain factions within the government are doing everything in their power to protect BP. Suggesting people should evacuate, wear gasmasks or even just stay away from the coast is bad PR, would create a panic and open up BP and the government to all sorts os lawsuits. Best to downplay the dangers as much as possible and hope that any illnesses caused by the oil/disspersants will be down the road several years where they could be blamed for other things.

[jwirr]

7. I talked with my sister-in-law in Arkansas and you wouldn't believe it

but they are even afraid clear up there. Worried about a natural gas explosion that would be bad enough they would have to evacuate. I did not comfort her because who in the hell knows what is going on in this mess. No one seems to want to talk to us.

[ayak9]

8. First time in history? I doubt i

First time in history? I doubt it.

I grew up in New Orleans and spent lots of time every summer on Pensacola Beach as my Dad was from there. Recently my 83 year old mother commented that there had indeed been tar-cleaning stations set up on Pensacola Beach in the past. I remember as a kid in the 50's and 60's having our feet swabbed down with baby-oil to remove the oil/tar before getting off the beach so we wouldn't track it into the car or motel room. Similarly, during jelly-fish season, there would be red cross stations where swimmers would have stings treated with ammonia. It may be splitting hairs as to whether it was the county (Santa Rosa Island Authority) doing this, but I don't know who else would have been setting up these stations.

[bettyellen]

9. there was off shore drillling back then, really? and its just like jelly fish stings, you say?

[Control-Z]

11. Was there a point to your post?

The oil ain't so bad? It's always been around. This is nothing new? Nothing to be concerned about? There must be some point to your little anecdote.

[fascisthunter]

12. lol... yeah, no problem right?

:wtf:

[wordpix]

13. oh, yeah, those little bits of tar from the old days are just like the BP gusher spew

:sarcasm:

[Uncle Joe]

10. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, highplainsdem.

[voteearlyvoteoften]

14. rec