Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 04/11/2013 - 08:03

Hey, I just wanted to know what do you do in case of an emergency? I know it may sound silly but what if an animal attacks your base or something? What if theres a bad storm coming, or something out of the ordinary happened? What would you do? Are there back up plans or weapons to protect you? These are random questions but I can't help and wonder what you'd so if something crazy happened? Maybe I watch too many movies.. :)

Tom Lane

Thanks for the questions. Yes, safety is first and foremost on team members (researcher(s), field tech., Schuur Lab. associates) minds. The emergency response depends upon the situation. Team members go through an Arctic Safety Course in Fairbanks during the month of June. A satellite phone is carried especially when working solo. In addition to a first aid kit (which includes a compass) some team members have wilderness first responder training. Prior to heading out to the CiPEHR site via snow machine the weather report is always consulted. On extremely cold days say colder than -35F or projected blizzard conditions travel is restricted and team members stay at the cabin. Regarding protection from animals...in the summer months bear spray is carried. From my observations, careful planning, communication and team members who watch out for one another provide an environment that is safe and has the flexibility to respond to a variety of situations.