On Thursday June 25th, Darryl Carpenter and Walton County Florida once again jumped out in front on the BP oil spill. Holding the first large scale testing of hay in the Gulf, Darryl Carpenter and Otis Goodman have been on an epic quest since first conceiving their vision for hay over six weeks ago. The journey has led the two men up and down the entire coast from Grand Isle, LA to Orange Beach, AL (see my previous iReports for backstory) seeking a municipality that would allow the contracting duo to try out their ideas. The quest to help in the BP disaster has caused great expense and extensive travel for the hay men. Receiving little to no support from every mayor they visited never seemed to discourage the men in any way. Eventually, they would find the find the permission and support they were seeking in their own home town.

According to Mr. Carpenter, “The hay worked better than we ever expected.”

photos Johnny Colt - Darryl Carpenter jogos casino online

Continuing to drown in BP oil, the residents of Grand Isle face a sobering sunrise.

I suddenly hear the high pitched wail of a siren. When I look out my car window, a fire department ladder truck swings wide through the intersection. The giant red beast appears almost out of control as it screams through the corner at high speed. Before my mind can make a decision, my body has my truck in hot pursuit.

Quickly, the fire truck slips from my view as I press my accelerator into the floorboard. Rolling down my windows, I follow the siren and arrive behind three fire trucks that have pulled up to the entrance of a large apartment complex. My family are waiting for the Thai food dinner I was picking up. Looks like they will have to go hungry. Firemen are dismounting from their trucks and hustling equipment up the steps of the apartment’s entrance. The mood is tense and, the men are so focused, they do not realize that I have fallen in lockstep behind them until, rounding the top of the stairs, the Fire Chief asks me, “What the hell are you doing?”

Taking up my new position at the bottom of the steps puts me just outside of the apartment entrance and just out of the way of the fire department. (So much for my action shots.) Residents of the complex frantically ask me what is happening. I guess the cameras make me look close to official. I wait patiently as my mind jumps back and forth with thoughts of my hungry kids and hopes that no one in this fire is hurt.

When the firemen descend the stairs, I am greeted by smiles. The relief is palpable when the Chief announces to me, “False alarm!” Every time the fire station alarm is sounded, no one knows what is in store for these community servants. These are everyday heroes who put their lives on the line for us.

Ladies and gentleman, these are the men and women of Atlanta Fire Station # 29.

CNN producer note
JOHNNYCOLT got to experience first hand the thorough work of the Maria Brusco crew members who are cleaning oil off of fishing boats that have been contracted to help clean up the oil in the Gulf. “The employees are working very hard and were very meticulous about what they were doing,” JOHNNYCOLT said. “They just work very, very hard.”
- ccostello3, CNN iReport producer Bonus Fara Depunere

In this episode of LIFE ADDICT…

We see the hardworking men of the MARIA BRUSCO
containment barge. These men are responsible for assessing
and cleaning all ships returning to shore. Having been in deepwater oil, special techniques must be used to ensure that the vessels do not bring the oil back to shore.

A safety measure put in place by BP, this is a story I had not heard about until I experienced it.

We are still here… are you?