Given that you went through all the previous steps, this should be the easy part…
Using the risk assessment
The thresholds that have been written in the risk assessment should be used as easy guidelines. If the weather is changing or if the participants are not adequately equipped, it is better to adapt your fieldwork. It is a difficult things to do, because you have a plan, need those data and you will feel like it was a waste of time. This is where a well made risk assessment is useful. It will not require too much decision making on the spot, and it will help to justify if you are canceling a campaign last minute.
Inclusivity
Why?
- A more inclusive team works better and does better science by including different points of view, ideas and practices
- “I noticed [the issue] but did not dare to say anything because I am [the only woman/the new intern/less experienced/not part of the core team]”
- New collaborators and outsiders will notice issues better because they are less confident and do not have the same routine as you
- If they can speak up, the entire group is safer
- People also have all sorts of personal things to deal with that can become more difficult to deal with when doing fieldwork
How?
- Normalize needs
Avoid making participants ask for “special arrangements”. There is no need to make a fuss because you have a vegan on your team and you have to adapt the menu, or because someone is on their period and has less energy than usual. As a leader, you are setting the standards. If you make jokes or insist on the “special arrangements” you had to provide for your participants, the rest of the team will follow and you will create a toxic environment. In the same way, by not validating comments and jokes from participants, you will make it very clear that there are not appropriate.
- Explain surroundings
When it is someone’s first time in a facility or a field site, take some time to show them around and tell them where is what. Tell them about where the bathrooms (alternatively which rock offers the best cover) are, the best phone signal, the snack stack, and time off hang out spot. Explain the habits of the team and the way the team is usually functioning. Not having to ask about all those things will make them feel more included in the team and less stressed.
- Give space and time
Fieldwork is intense. Arranging for alone time and personal space can be a challenge. As a leader it is something you can take into account when organizing the field trip as well as during it. Planning breaks in places where it is possible to get a bit away from the group can be a way to provide that.
- Brag culture
Outdoor sports can have a toxic bragging culture. Fieldwork is not the place for that (outdoor sport either, but that is out of the scope of this tutorial). While you could reach that site in 30 minutes, you still should wait for your less fit intern. And it is not because you can be a functioning human with 4 hours of sleep that everybody should.
Some points of focus to consider
Anticipating the needs of your team is not easy. Here we provide a non exhaustive list of inclusivity points of focus and ideas of response. This was through several workshops.
Periods: Intensive fieldwork and lack of sleep can affect the menstrual cycle. It can therefore be useful to have period products in the first aid kit of the team. In the same way, pregnancy test for longer and remote trips can be a plus.
Toilet breaks: make sure to communicate where the toilets are and any extra information needed (is there a key, do you have to burn the paper, add woodchips, ...). Have toilet paper in the team kit when going to the field, even if it is just one day.
Praying time: long days on the field can mean that not enough time is left before and after for praying time. It is important to accommodate this need, and not force the participants to take on their break for it.
Neo-colonialism science: When doing fieldwork abroad, avoid doing the "fly in, sample, fly out". Locals have to be included in the process. You are a guest, behave as one. You can look for a local group of interest in your field, collaborate with a school, include local scientists, offer co-authorship or share the data. For field courses, having a contingency of local students (and offering funding if applicable) is also good practice.
Racism, sexism and other toxic attitudes: As a leader it is your duty to have a strict zero tolerance on those attitudes. It can also be good to question your own bias and take them into account when leading a team.
Sharing accommodation: Be mindful of genders, roles and positions if you have to share rooms.
Dealing with an emergency
Given that you went through all the previous steps, this should be the easy part…
As much as we do not want it to happen, things happen. Here I want to present some tips on how to deal with an unplanned possibly bad situation.
- Calm down: when confronted to a stressful situation, we go into fight or flee mode. We get an adrenaline peak, tunnel vision, higher heartbeats and higher tolerance to pain. It used to be useful for survival of early humans, but it might become problematic when facing a more complex situation.
- Quick assessment of the situation: what happened?
- Emergency measures: is there something that needs doing immediately? This task should be delegated.
- Detailed assessment: what exactly happened and what is the current situation. Do you need help?
- Make a plan and delegate tasks. It is important, as a leader, that you stay on top of the situation. All tasks should be delegated: your job is to monitor the situation and anticipate the next steps.
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Calling for help
- This task should be delegated, but make sure that the person doing it is reporting to you when it is done.
- Most emergency services will ask anyway, but be sure to provide the following informtation:
- Who you are and how many people are involved
- Where
- What happened (briefly)
- Specific details they might not expect
Meeting area
When dealing with a large group, it is wise to have a meeting area. This is where people come back after completing a task. It is a place to exchange information, calm down, wait and receive new tasks. It will make the situation easier for you as a leader.