Energy Technology Laboratories (ETL)

Using a Oxygenics® 200 series showerhead to rinse a Sanderling from 1999, Grande Isle, LA oil spill. (IBRRC photo)

Thank you, Thank you ETL for 1,700 donated showerheads!!

IBRRC was the first oiled wildlife response organization to use an Oxygenics® showerhead! In 1988 during an oil spill at the Martinez Marsh, California, IBRRC was introduced through a volunteer to the Oxygenics® 200 series showerhead, and has continued to use the 500 series from Energy Technology Laboratories (ETL).

"Thorough and gentle rinsing with fresh water is equally as important as washing contaminants from wildlife," according to Jay Holcomb, IBRRC’s Executive Director, who has rescued oiled wildlife since 1971. "We were so excited about discovering the Oxgenics® showerheads that we would take them with us to all spills, trainings, and share with other rehabilitation teams just how great they performed. The showerhead cut our water usage and rinsing time in half, which in turn aided the wildlife rehabilitation by reducing the animal’s stress with a shorter handling time. We are continually pleased by Oxygenics® showerheads, so much so that it would just be a waste of time and money to use anything else. Flow control adjusts easily for moving from the body to the delicate neck and head area, and the showerheads have just the right amount of pressure with precise spray. The showerheads literally rinse birds dry," says Holcomb.

Ray Leibman, Melanie Adler ETL presentation of showerheads to IBRRC’s Dawna Grant and Jay Holcomb (Photo courtesy ETL)

After seeing the ETL 500 series showerhead in a “Dawn” dishwashing liquid spot on television featuring IBRRC, Melanie Adler in Special Marketing with ETL visited IBRRC’s Los Angeles bay area center for a tour with particular interest in the specially designed washroom for cleaning oiled wildlife with each wash station equipped with the ETL showerhead. She contacted ETL headquarters in Modesto, CA, and when a prominent Las Vegas hotel decided to purchase new Oxygenics® showerheads, Ray Engel, owner of Energy Technology Laboratories, donated 1,700 of the replaced showerheads to IBRRC who in turn will share these with wildlife groups all over the world for use during oil spill disasters.

January Bill, IBRRC Volunteer Coordinator, transported 1,700 showerheads from Modesto to IBRRC HQ. (IBRRC photo)

Following receipt of boxes and boxes of showerheads, IBRRC headquarters for the San Francisco Bay Area was visited by five ETL representatives for a personal presentation and tour by Jay Holcomb, Executive Director, and Dawna Grant, Development Director. By the end of the tour the ETL management expressed their high praise and appreciation of IBRRC’s fine work. “To know that our company has had a small hand in the process of caring for our World Bird Population currently and into the future is again very gratifying to all of us” according to Ray Leibman, Executive Vice President with ETL.

ETL is so impressed by IBRRC, its commitment to the environment, and water conservation, that now whenever someone purchases a showerhead from ETL via IBRRC’s web site, IBRRC will receive a donation for every purchase when linking to ETL from IBRRC’s web site.

Use our link to ETL products;
each purchase generates an IBRRC donation

Curt Clumpner rinsing Murre with a spot 2000 ETL showerhead, Mystery oil spill, California, 1990. (IBRRC photo)

The 1,700 showerheads will be distributed to wildlife groups nationally and internationally by IBRRC, considered by industry and wildlife experts as the premier organization in responding to oil spills for the care of oiled and injured wildlife.

Showerheads will easily be distributed internationally through a partnership between IBRRC and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) called IFAW’s Emergency Relief Team, managed cooperatively by IFAW and IBRRC with its 33 years of experience responding to oiled wildlife. The team is comprised of leaders in the field of wildlife rehabilitation, biology, veterinary medicine and management who are professionals from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, South Africa, UK and USA. In order to have immediately available for oil spill disasters, several showerheads will be held at multiple IFAW international locations. IBRRC’s long oil spill history and links to other wildlife rehabilitators, further national and international distribution will complete the circle for the greatest coverage for preparedness for oil spill disasters.

In California IBRRC is a member of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN), managed by the Wildlife Health Center at the University of California, Davis, a legislatively mandated program within The California Fish and Game, Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR). OSPR strives to ensure that wildlife exposed to petroleum products in the environment receive the best achievable treatment by providing access to wildlife rehabilitation facilities and trained personnel for oil spill response within California.

E-mail for more information: Jay Holcomb

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