Flood Quiz
Floods happen everywhere - not just on the news. Would you know what to do if the water started rising?
Build a Pipe Network
The island's water supply is in need of modernisation. Balance the financial and environmental cost to score maximum points.
Main Content
Oil Clean Up Game
Mayday! Mayday!
It's a good thing you have a disaster control plan in place because the tanker has run aground and is leaking oil into the sea. In the crash some of the crewmen were thrown overboard into the sea and will drown unless they are rescued.
This is a test of speed and skill. You need to save the crewmen from the water as quickly as possible and then clean up as much of the oil as you can.
Oil spill clean-Up
Oil spills can cause terrible damage to wildlife, disrupt the food chain and mess up the environment for years to come. It is therefore vital that oil slicks are sucked up or dispersed before they reach the shore.
Most European countries have pollution response ships. In Scotland these are based at Rosyth, Burntisland and Pitreavie. We also have aircraft capable of spraying detergent on oil. Though detergent can be worse than the oil and it is only used when all other methods have failed.
When oil is spilled, the response must be fast and decisive. The main methods used to clean up spilled oil are these:
- Booms - floating barriers which are placed around the leaking ship. Booms stop the oil spreading so that skimmers can collect it.
- Skimmers - boats, vacuum machines, and oil-absorbent plastic ropes that skim spilled oil from the water surface. The skimmer collects oil into a container so it can be removed safely.
- Sorbents - big sponges used to absorb oil.
- Gelling agents - which cause the oil slick to clump together.
- Chemical dispersants - which break down the oil into its chemical constituents.
- Burning - sometimes emergency services deliberately set-fire to freshly-spilled oil while it's floating on the water.
- Washing - oil can be washed off beaches with high-pressure and low-pressure hoses.
- Vacuum trucks - can be used to vacuum spilled oil from beaches or the water surface.
- Shovels and road equipment - are used to scoop up oil or move oiled beach sand and gravel so that it can be cleaned.
- Biological agents - can be used to help break down small particles of oil that have contaminated the land.
The methods and tools people choose will depend on the size and location of the oil spill and the weather. But in every situation, the more oil that can be recovered the better it is for the environment.
How to Play
To complete the task you will need to use both boats: the Lifeboat and the Oil Clean-Up Boat.
Boat controls
Both boats are controlled using the arrow buttons on your keyboard, and 'B' to switch boats:
- Up - Move forward
- Down - Move aft (backwards)
- Left - Steer to port (left)
- Right - Steer to starboard (right)
- B - Switch between the two boats
The Lifeboat
You need to slow down the lifeboat to pick up the crewmen. If you are moving too fast they will not have time to jump aboard. There are no brakes on a boat so you have to slow down by using the 'move backwards' key.
The lifeboat will only hold five extra men. This means you will have to return to the lifeboat house when the boat is full, and then set out again. To drop off the crew, drive back to the Lifeboat house and nudge the ramp.
You can also score bonus points by slowing down to pick up the seabirds trapped in the floating oil.
Hot tip: Crewmen with an arrow over their heads are in the most danger of drowning so try to save them first.
The Oil Clean-Up Boat
To suck up oil from the sea. Press and hold down the SPACEBAR to switch on the suction machine. But be warned! The suction machine will also suck up water, so only switch it on when you are over the floating oil.
When the oil tank is full you will need to empty the tank at the floating Oil Dump. To empty the tank motor back to the Oil Dump and nudge the inlet pipe to empty your oil tank into the oil dump.
Boat damage
Every time you run into the rocks or hit an oil barrel you will seriously damage the boat. If you run into the buoys, the oil-boom, the tanker or the beach you will also damage the boat. The damage will not be as bad as hitting the rocks or oil barrels, but it will also slow you down as you try and pull free.
If the boat is badly damaged you will need to start again using one of your two extra lives.
If you motor over the floating seaweed the boat will be slow down and you will lose valuable time.
Sonar Map
Use the Mini Sonar Map in the bottom right hand corner of the screen to locate the Life Boat house and Oil Dump at any time.
Scoring
You score points from rescuing the crewmen, cleaning up the oil spill and saving seabirds. The game is over when you have saved all the men and cleaned up or the oil - or you have run out of boats.
Hot tip: When lives are at stake, you should always try to save the people first.
Oil Clean Up Game
When oil spills happen the response must be decisive. Will you be able to scoop up the oil and save the Island's beaches and wildlife?
The Lab
In the lab you can check that everything is okay on the Island. If it is not, you will need to take action - fast!