BP tackles oil spill with new approach

PENSACOLA, Florida (WALA) - BP is taking a whole new approach to cleaning up the oil spill. For the first time, the company is assigning teams together to attack oil rapidly with new technology and tactics.

The Rapid Attack Team (RAT) focuses on inland water, mostly where water is shallow. They have different tactics. They are using shallow draft, fast moving vessels. They are using new technology like sub surface oil detection equipment and oil/water separators.

This approach is new for them. Rather than working separate, they are working together.

"What we're doing now is taking tactics and tech and putting it in oil as quickly as we can," said Ed Wieliczkiewicz, Rapid Attack Team leader.

It's called the rat pack, which stands for Rapid Attack Teams.

"You don't see a firefighter going into a house and spraying a hose and water everywhere because it's a trash can fire. We want to employ the same of approach when we go in to marsh shoreline area," said Wieliczkiewicz.

When dealing with shallow water, they need to get in there quickly with the right type of vessel

"When we start getting into surf zone, inter-tidal area, where water is shallow, that's where we have to attack quickly. We have to get it before it gets to marsh or sandy areas," added Wieliczkiewicz.

Hopefully the team approach means new and better solutions in cleaning up the crude.

These RAT pack teams are already working in Mobile and Louisiana. They are on stand-by and ready to go in Pensacola.