When the deepwater horizon offshore oil drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010, 11 crewmen were killed; the accident led to the largest oil spill in U.S. history. Forty workers on the rig managed to escape the catastrophe, thanks largely to a safety-training program they had taken at community colleges in the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS). Nearly a year later, LCTCS and other area community colleges play a key role not only in assisting in the massive cleanup effort, but also in containing and preventing future disasters. In this article, the author highlights the extraordinary efforts of LCTCS and other area colleges to restore the environment and train workers in the prevention of future disasters.