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Photo from the Netflix documentary "My Octopus Teacher"
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UC Field Research Safety
Hello out there, I hope you're all well. This month's newsletter includes a new publication on safe fieldwork practices and updates on the NTSB's Conception deadly boat fire investigation, UC's flu shot requirement, post-fire hazards and research, examples of resiliency, as well as a few strategies that may help us all through this challenging year. As always, feel free to contact me directly via sarasouza@berkeley.edu with any questions, concerns or suggestions. Best, Sara
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Stress Continuum and COVID-19 Resilience Resources
The Wilderness Risk Management Conference (WRMC) last week included talks from many esteemed leaders and speakers. I'd like to highlight one from Laura McGladrey of the University of Colorado Hospital on psychological first aid and stress mitigation. Below is a simple exercise to review yourself or with your team. Delve further into signs/symptoms of the COVID-19 stress continuum and stress impact mitigation using this COVID-19 Resource Card from Responder Alliance.
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Post-Fire Assessment & Hazards
Many burned areas are restricted to the public due to hazardous conditions; staff, researchers, and work crews accessing burned areas need to consider and discuss physical hazards, damaged trees, hot spots, weather conditions (high wind, rain), and road/trail damage. Hot spots such as smoldering stumps may be present weeks after fire passes through. I'm aware of at least two previous injuries of UC personnel, both involved falling down into holes from burned out stumps. Also, damaged roads and impacted slopes may become unstable and impassable when rain returns. More guidance below; thank you to Sarah Oktay from the UC Davis NRS for sharing these photos and videos:
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Wildlife montage: Just feet from the LNU Lightning Complex fire line at Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve (UC Davis NRS).
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Learn More
UCANR Guidance: Burned Area & Hazard Tree Assessment
NIOSH: Hazards During Cleanup Work Following Wildfires
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New flu vaccination requirement for UC faculty, staff and students
The executive order is an important proactive measure to help protect members of the UC community — and the public at large — and to ameliorate the severe burdens on health care systems anticipated during the coming fall and winter from influenza and COVID-19 illnesses. All UC medical plans which cover faculty, staff and students include coverage for flu vaccinations at no cost. (see FAQS about the 2020-21 UC influenza vaccination order).
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NTSB faults poor oversight and lack of roving watch for Conception boat fire that killed 34
October 20, 2020, LA Times (Full Article)
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Deadly dive boat fire: NTSB seeks major small passenger boat safety improvements
October 20, 2020, Marine Log (Full Article)
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Safe fieldwork strategies for at-risk individuals, their supervisors and institutions
By Amelia-Juliette Claire Demery & Monique Avery Pipkin, Nature Ecology & Evolution (Published October 12, 2020). We're all juggling a lot these days, but I highly recommend reading the entire article; in particular, the Box 1 summary is an excellent list of strategies to discuss among field teams/students and with leadership.
Fig. 1: Example situations experienced by at-risk individuals in the field.
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a, A Black ornithologist is approached by law enforcement. b, A Sikh entomologist experiences a hateful landscape. c, A bisexual ichthyologist is accosted by hate speech. d, A deaf botanist is verbally abused due to her disability. Illustration by Callie Rodgers Chappell. (Full article)
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Last, what is charging me...
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I may be biased because I lived in Cape Town for a year, but I really enjoyed Netflix's new documentary "The Octopus Teacher." Learn more about the making of the film here.
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This could also be listed in the draining column
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Thank you to the UC Davis Field Research Safety Committee for valuable conversations, and this suggestion. Check out the podcast yourself here.
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And Halloween!
We're planning a neighborhood scavenger hunt instead of trick-or-treating. Going with a Matrix theme this year.
Enjoy and take care out there.
Cheers, Sara
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