Researcher safety tasks

Doing field work at the station involves significant risk, especially at high elevations on Niwot Ridge and in the Green Lakes Valley. If you are injured, it may take significant time for you to receive medical attention. Planning is key to mitigating these risks and for responding in the best way possible if an emergency occurs. 

To help keep everyone safe, all researchers must complete the 7 safety tasks below.

Questions? Ask the Station Manager.

 

1. Review the MRS general safety info

Lightning from a cloud
Moose
A hiker with backpack and ski poles stands amidst snow covered conifer trees as a yellow and orange sunrise fills the skies
Black bear
Forest fire with silhouetted trees (Egor Vikhrev, Unsplash)
Extreme closeup of a Rocky Mountain Wood Tick (CDC via Wikipedia)

Researchers must review our general safety information, which covers emergencies, prohibited activities, drug and alcohol policy, and inclusive and safe environment. It also provides guidance on environmental hazards such as altitude, lightning, and heat, as well as wildlife hazards including bears, moose, and ticks. 

See Visit > Safety

2. Sign the MRS safety waiver

If you are accessing research areas or staying overnight, you must sign a MRS safety waiver. Please sign it before or upon your arrival to the Marr Lab (8am - 4pm M-F). The one-page PDF is fillable, so consider downloading, filling, printing, and signing it before your visit. Don't forget to bring it with you. 

MRS Safety Waiver (1-page PDF)

Required for researchers & course students

3. View the MRS field safety guidance

Before you start your research at the station, review both the emergency guideline packet and field safety presentation. They provide an overview of safety resources, planning, gear essentials, and much more. 

 

MRS Emergency guideline packet 
(6-page PDF) 

Updated 2022
New station manager since then

The packet covers responding to emergencies, fire extinguishers, first aid kit & AED locations, evacuation process, directions to nearest emergency room, planning, potential hazards, important phone numbers, and evacuation route to Highway 72.

We suggest that you print out a copy of the packet for yourself to have on hand in the field.

 

MRS Field safety presentation 
(45-minute video)

Updated 2022
New station manager since then

The content of this presentation is applicable to all research based at the station, even though it often references Niwot Ridge. 

Field safety presentation slides
(35-page PDF)  

Niwot folks, also see:
2026 NWT-LTER orientation slides
(75-page PDF)

4. Submit/review your team's field safety plan

 

Working at the MRS comes with a unique set of risks and challenges. Planning is key to mitigating these risks and for responding in the best way possible if an emergency occurs. 

All research teams are required to create a field safety plan and submit it as part of their research application form every year. Team leaders should distribute copies to all of their team members so they are familiar with their plan.

We offer a template below for your plan, but will accept other templates as long as they have similar content. For example, the University of California system has a detailed field operations safety manual, with tips for planning. Our template will lead you through the basic steps of planning and preparation needed to conduct field work safely. It is applicable to all field research at the MRS and can be modified as you need.

MRS template for a field safety plan (docx)

 

  Don’t travel alone or if you do travel alone tell someone you trust where you’re going and when you’ll be back. Please check in with a buddy before leaving the station. Task them to communicate your whereabouts. The MRS does not have the resources to keep track of every user.  Stick to your plan.  See the below info for a safe-return check-in plan

  Consider the hazards you expect to encounter during your field research work, and make a plan for how you will handle them should they arise. For example, make a plan for what will you do in case of a thunderstorm or a broken ankle at a site distant from a vehicle. Do you have a planned meeting place in the event your group is split up? 

  Bring appropriate equipment for the time of year and distance you plan on traveling. For example, consider a rain jacket and rain pants with extra layers and water for summer work.  

  Check the weather report and plan appropriately, but don’t count on it to be 100% accurate. For example, thunderstorms may move in earlier than expected. Change your plans accordingly. 

  Consider transportation in your plan for how you will return to the MRS should a mechanical issue arise. If your vehicle breaks down is everyone in your group capable of hiking back to the MRS? Or do you have a reliable method of communication to have another vehicle come get you? 

 

Here is an example to consider. Yeah, it's a bit extreme, but nonetheless illustrative of fieldwork in the Colorado alpine. Like when you really really want to gather another tundra sample but a big thunderstorm might be rolling in...

A zigzagging line of climbers waits to go through the Khumbu icefall on Mount Everest (Everest Today)

A zigzagging line of climbers wait their turn to go through part of the Khumbu icefall on Mount Everest (Everest Today)

Maybe this is safe, but make sure you are always asking…. 

  • Am I really putting safety first? 
  • Is my goal clouding my judgement about safety? 
  • Have conditions changed that will effect the plan I’ve made? 
  • Have I talked with my group about reassessing our plans and time line?
 

The MRS cares about your safe return from daily fieldwork far from the station (e.g. Niwot Ridge or Green Lakes Valley). But our resources are limited and we cannot track everyone. Make sure you have your own safe return check-in person who is fully aware of your plans and is responsible for following up on your safe return each day. They need to be very dependable and NOT in the field.

A plan is required if you are working solo, but it is a good idea with a group of two too. Your plan needs to have a "worry time" and a "call SAR time".

Establish a worry time that your check-in person should expect to hear from you. This time should provide you a substantial buffer to account for unexpected weather, a slow day, etc. Consider the time it will take you to get to reliable communication when you return. If your check-in person does not hear from you before the worry time then they should be closely monitoring for your return and should attempt to contact you by text or phone. 

Establish a call search and rescue (SAR) time when your check-in person will commit to making the following calls: 

  1. Attempt to contact you (the missing person) via text and phone.
  2. If they cannot reach you, they should call the MRS to inquire if you have returned. 
    MRS mainline/Station Manager – 303492-8842, MRS secondary – 303-492-8841, MRS Director 303-735-0474 .
  3. If they cannot reach you and MRS cannot confirm your location or cannot be reached, then they should call the Boulder County Sheriff (303-441-4444) OR 911 to report you (the missing person).

You should leave info with your check-in person every day that you are in the field. 

Here's an example: 

  1. Worry (and call to check on me) if you don’t hear from me by 4:00pm
  2. Call SAR at 7:00pm if you can’t reach me and MRS can’t find me.
 

Restrooms are only located on the station campus. If you are going to be some distance away, plan accordingly and bring supplies. Please help keep our field areas clean, safe, and sanitary.

Use human waste bags (wag bags), which can go in dumpster at Marr Lab at the end of the field day.

If you don't have human waste bags, dig a 6 inch (15 cm) deep cat hole to bury waste. 

5. Gather safety gear

Mountain weather, remote terrain, and limited communications can quickly turn a routine outing into an emergency. Review the recommended safety gear and communication devices below to help ensure safe and successful fieldwork.

Recommended minimum safety gear

  1. Navigation (map, compass, & GPS)
  2. Sun protection (hat/sunglasses/sunscreen) 
  3. Rain/wind jacket (extra clothing) 
  4. Illumination (headlamp/flashlight with spare batteries) 
  5. First-aid supplies 
  6. Fire (waterproof matches/lighter/candles) 
  7. Repair kit and tools (knife, Leatherman) 
  8. Nutrition (extra food) 
  9. Hydration (extra water)-take 2x what you think you will drink 
  10. Emergency Shelter (emergency blanket or bivy and extra down clothing in winter or shoulder seasons) 
  11. Communication device(s)

Specifics of what you carry will depend on: 

  • Time of year (summer, shoulder season, winter) 
  • What you are doing 
  • Distance from MRS or a Vehicle 
  • How long you plan to be out 
  • Wait times for help from first responders, if you can’t self evacuate in an emergency

For a list of clothing, bedding, toiletries, etc., see Staying overnight.

Winter above treeline on Niwot Ridge is very different than summer, and extra precautions should be taken to prepare for the high winds, low temperatures and often zero visibility conditions that exist above treeline. The MRS recommends that you never travel alone. It is especially easy to become disoriented or lost in whiteout conditions above treeline. 

  Cell phone 

  • Best method if you can get a call out.  AT&T and Verizon often work above tree line, but they do NOT work reliably in the forest. 
  • If you do NOT have service in an emergency, you should still try 911. If your specific carrier lacks a signal but another company has a tower within range, your phone will automatically route the emergency call through that available network.

  Cell phone - Emergency SOS via satellite 

For iPhone 14 and later models, Apple includes an an Emergency SOS via satellite feature that is free for 2 years. Some Android phones have a similar functionality. If you are off the grid and no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage is available, your phone will attempt to connect to a satellite.

Steps:

  • Try calling 911.
  • If the call does not connect, tap "Emergency Text via Satellite" or "Satellite SOS" on your screen.
  • Tap "Report Emergency" or similar prompt and answer the onscreen questions about your situation.
  • Follow the onscreen instructions to point your phone toward a satellite and send your message.

Before going in the field with an iPhone, you may want to set up your Medical ID and emergency contacts in the Health app. That info is automatically transferred by satellite when reporting an emergency.

  Emergency land line phones 

  • Marr Lab, C1, and Tundra Lab. 

  PLB’s or satellite phone

  • Cell phone coverage is spotty on Niwot so always carry a reliable backup device! 
  • PLB’s (personal locator beacon): such as Garmin In-reach, Spot, ACR ResQlink etc. 
  • The Climate Program has 3 ACR ResQlink PLB’s that you may borrow if needed. Please email Jen Morse at Jennifer.f.morse@Colorado.edu 

  Wi-Fi

  • Available around the Marr Lab on campus and the Tundra Lab (UCB Guest). 

The above methods are not fail proof. 
Please have a safe-return “check in” plan as well (see tips above)!

6. Train in first aid

At a minimum, one person in your group must be trained in Basic 1st Aid and CPR/AED. But we recommend that all researchers have Wilderness First Aid training. For remote fieldwork in places like Niwot Ridge, a Wilderness first aid class covers more first responder information and provides more relevant scenarios than a basic first aid class.

 

If you are a team leader, please consider providing training to your team members. You never know when you will be the one who needs help, or when you will be in a situation where someone needs care in the wilderness, and you know how to provide it. And providing training is a great way to foster a culture of care among all who work on Niwot Ridge. 

Basic First Aid and CPR/AED training

If looking for such a class, consider one that covers three topics: First Aid/CPR/AED.  
First Aid / CPR = Cardiopulmonary resuscitation / AED = Automated External Defibrillator. 

A popular training option is through the Red Cross. They have three format options for their classes: classroom, online, or classroom+online.  They have certification and re-certification options and teach in thousands of cities and towns across the country. Consider taking at least part of the class in person as it helps create a more realistic scenario and the hands-on skills training is often required for certification. A full in-person class is typically 4-5 hours. Cost is typically $70-$110 but reduced rates are sometimes offered for classes taught at universities, churches, city recreation centers, etc.

Wilderness First Aid training 

Taking a class in Wilderness First Aid is very helpful for remote field work because it covers more first responder information and relevant scenarios than a typical first aid class. There really is no adequate alternative to this training. And having the knowledge can be as much about prevention as response. 

A popular training option is a NOLS Wilderness First Aid course.  They are typically 16 hours of instruction over 2 or 2.5 days and cost ~$200-$420. They are often meant for people of all experience levels. 

Be aware that some Wilderness First Aid courses will NOT certify you upon completion unless you have taken a separate CPR/AED course too.

INSTAAR and the Niwot Ridge LTER typically host a Wilderness First Aid class that is based on NOLS curriculum for $300 once or twice a year. If interested, see Our team and contact Jen Morse.

 

Minimum items for a first aid kit

  • Ace bandage to support sprains or construct splints 
  • Duct tape/athletic tape, strong string, or rope to secure splints 
  • Iodine ointment for cleaning wounds 
  • Band-Aids
  • Sterile gauze dressing for large wounds
  • Adhesive tape to attach dressing
  • Antibiotic cream, like Neosporin
  • Pain killer/anti-inflammatory (i.e. Ibuprofen)
  • Antihistamine (i.e. Benadryl) 
  • Signal mirror or whistle in case you get hurt or lost
  • Candy or sugar packets for quick energy
  • Clean syringe to flush small wounds 

7. Consider how you will promote inclusive & safe fieldwork

Please help us on with our mission to provide a safe, welcoming, and inclusive research environment as you and your team conduct fieldwork. 

  • Leader(s) give a brief at the beginning of day with key safety considerations, essential gear check, and work plan. Encourage feedback/discussion. Debrief at end of day; what worked, what didn’t. 
  • Emphasize open and honest communication among all group members. 
  • Check in with one another frequently. Remember that physical and mental levels change day to day or throughout the day. 
  • Remember that silence is not always agreement.  Encourage feedback & discussion. 
  • Note that every group member has veto power. Voiced concerns are taken as truth. 
  • Don’t prioritize a plan over good judgement. For example, don’t push to get that last sample that is a 2 mile hike up the mountain as afternoon clouds are pushing in.

 

See also: 

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