BIOutside

Field safety for biologists in the wild

Outdoor basics

This section aims at giving the basics for outdoor activities.

Emergency contacts

  • 112: police and whenever you are not sure which service to call;
  • 113: ambulance, medical emergencies;
  • 110: fire department;

Equipment

Communication

Make sure to have a way to communicate with external parties and within your team.

  • Phones with minimum 80% battery
  • Powerbank and charging cable
  • Exchange phone numbers before going to the field
  • Make sure your interns/students know who to call in your lab in case there is an issue
  • In case you go in an area with poor phone coverage, BIO has some InReach (satellite sms device) you can borrow

Clothing and gears

Good gear is not only about comfort! Being uncomfortable (cold, wet, too warm) leads to stupid decisions, which can eventually lead to accidents. Also, any bad situation is easier to deal with if you are well equipped.

Some tips:

  • Use the onion layers system: have a lot of layers to adapt to conditions, not just warm and cold;
  • Always assume it will be colder than planned;
  • Bring change with you and pack it in a waterproof bag. You will eventually sweat or get wet. Clean dry clothes are much warmer;
  • Use material that is warm when wet: wool or synthetic fibers. Cotton is a no go;
  • Identify the different activities in your fieldwork and pack what you need for it (ex: clothes to hike to the site + warmer clothes to work);
  • Make a packing list (see assignments) and write down what you missed and what was useless after each trip. You will soon get an almost perfect list!

Food and drinks

Like clothes, this highly depends on the type of fieldwork you are conducting and your habits. However, here are some important points:

  • count at least 2L of water for a full day;
  • take a warm drink with you even in summer;
  • take two lunches: one for lunch, and one in case you work longer than expected or if you are more hungry than planned;
  • snacks: they’ll keep you going even in the rain.

Rule of the threes

The rule of the 3s as described in @manisesurvie is a good memo to set up your priorities.

  • 3 seconds: in a critical situation, losing the focus during 3 seconds is what it takes to create a bad situation. Your focus and ability to make good decision can be altered by several factors: stress, group dynamic, tiredness, thermal discomfort, dehydration, alcohol or drugs, and lack of oxygen.
  • 3 minutes without oxygen to vital organs
  • 3 hours with bad body temperature regulation: hypothermia is the first cause of death in mountains. But packing the right gears is an easy way to prevent that.
  • 3 days without drinking water
  • 3 weeks without eating
  • 3 months without hygiene
  • 3 years in a psychologically toxic environment

I hope you noticed that most of the material presented here aims at countering the points of the rule of the 3s.

Other resources

  • Yr.no weather forecast
  • norgeskart.no topographic maps of Norway