Training

IOSA provides regular training exercises and workshops for our community. Please review the schedule below and email info@iosaonline.org or call 360-468-3441 if you’d like to register to attend one of our scheduled events.

2026 Training Schedule

• January 21st, 2026: ORCAS EASTSOUND FIRE STATION: Oil Spill Wildlife Training taught by International Bird Rescue. Space is limited to 30 participants, please call 360-468-3441 or email info@iosaonline.org if you are interested in attending.

• February 11th, 2026: LOPEZ COMMUNITY CENTER: Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) taught by IOSA Board Member and 40+ year NOAA veteran Gary Shigenaka, along with representatives from the Washington Department of Ecology and the current NOAA SSC, Aaron Maggied. This is a very special and unique course customized and tailored to San Juan County/IOSA and it is open to the community!! Please call 360-468-3441 or email info@iosaonilne.org to register to attend.

• March 12th, 2026: SJI IOSA HQ: Port of FH Staff Training + 8HR HAZWOPER Refresher (open to anyone needing 8HR refresher or wanting to learn more about IOSA!)

• -THIS DATE MAY CHANGE- April 13th, 2026: ORCAS: Air Monitoring and Oil Spill Drone Response taught by IOSA Board Member, Conor Keeney, who is a former WA State Ecology hazmat responder and currently HF Sinclair’s Emergency Prep & Response Manager.

• April 14-16th: SJI IOSA HQ: 24HR HAZWOPER Training taught by 20+ year spill response veteran and teacher Brian Johnson. This is a three day (24HR) course from 8am-4pm each day and this certification is the OSHA required/standard minimum training for spill responders working within oil and petroleum. The first two days will be held in a classroom setting with exercises and group projects, and the final day will be outdoors in the field working with spill response equipment.

• April 16th: SJI IOSA HQ: 8HR HAZWOPER Refresher Deployment Exercise

• May 13th, 2026: LOPEZ: GRP Deployment Exercise (DPX)

• June 17th, 2026: SJI: GRP Deployment Exercise (DPX)

• July 15th, 2026: ORCAS: GRP Deployment Exercise (DPX)

• August 12th, 2026: LOPEZ: GRP Deployment Exercise (DPX)

• September 16th, 2026: SJI: GRP Deployment Exercise (DPX)

• October 14th, 2026: ORCAS: TBD

• November 18th, 2026: LOPEZ: TBD

• December 16th, 2026: SJI: TBD

What: These hands-on exercises are designed to give volunteers the skills needed to perform a safe, appropriate, and useful site assessment and to gain hands-on experience with initial containment strategies. The focus will be on a shore or dock-based response. All classes will be held partially outdoors, rain or shine, and volunteers will be required to exert themselves physically on terrain with steep and/or uneven footing.

Who should attend: This training is intended for IOSA volunteers, with a preference given to those on our Tier One Volunteer Teams. Each training maxes out at 15 participants. Additional community members interested in learning about HAZWOPER or volunteering with IOSA in the future will be admitted if space is available (please call 360-468-3441 or email info@iosaonline.org to register.)

Instructors: Brian Johnson (DH Environmental), Connor Barnes (Leading Edge), Jerry McElyea (IOSA SJI Tier One Training Lead), Elaina Thompson (IOSA Executive Director), Rick Winings (IOSA Operations Manager), Conor Keeney (HF Sinclair), Gary Shigenaka (retired NOAA) and various other IOSA Board Members and others contracted for specific skillsets.

Note: training timing and locations are subject to change. Details will be emailed to registered participants ahead of time. For more information about HAZWOPER and other training, please visit this FAQ or call 360-468-3441 or email info@iosaonline.org.