Along South Florida's most valuable real estate, lifeguards and workers who clean the beaches have been told already to look out for anything that gives a hint that oil has caught up in the loop current and made its way to South Florida.
Miami-Dade environmental experts are already gathering water samples.
“We are ready," Curt Sommerhoff, the Miami-Dade Emergency Management Director, said. "We have a comprehensive plan to deal with it and the plan is designed to address oil spills.”
Tuesday some Miami Beach civil leaders told us the area wasn't ready.
“Its not very comfortable we are not being given any details," Jerry Libbin, the CEO of Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, said It’s like I’m a doctor.”
Miami-Dade officials strongly deny the area isn't ready and today rolled out the plan to deal with any oil for us to see. The South Florida oil response plan calls for the Coast Guard to oversee the operation, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and County Emergency Management resources would also be used.
Workers will be on the lookout and will be able to identify tar balls, and they will be testing the waters. If cleanup is needed, the Coast Guard will call on private contractors located at the Port Of Miami.
Miami-Dade says it knows the potential economic impact on the region even if just the impression that oil has reached South Florida. Each day the emergency management team is tracking the oil and ready to move if needed.
