Teams in the Field

Field research is generally a team exercise. It may be just two people or a half-dozen. It is important for each participant to work as a member of the team by being appropriately trained and knowing her role in the team.

Team Leader
 
The team leader is expected to do the following:

• Demonstrate all of the basic planning, risk assessment, first-aid skills demanded of all individual team members.
• Show leadership skills so that the overall team functions safely and accomplishes its goals.
• Articulate individual responsibilities and monitors performance regarding these responsibilities.
• Confirm that all team members are fully prepared (e.g., equipment, supplies, conceptual awareness).
• File a travel plan and makes sure that it is followed.
• Maintain the necessary safety standards.
• Serve as the final arbiter for critical field decisions.

Individual Skills

• During a field expedition, each member of the group should be able to do the following:
• Account for all the members. Failing this, develop a strategy to quickly find any missing member.
• Show the direction to the base station. (What is a base station? Why is it important?)
• Tell how long it will take to return to the base station.
• Respond to the dangers posed by extreme weather.
• Estimate the time until sunset/dusk and how this might affect the current situation.
• Start a fire.
• Describe the procedure if separated from the group (e.g., lost off the trail).
• Improvise a rain shelter.
• Prepare to spend the night outdoors when this was not part of the scheduled activities.

Group Skills

During a field expedition, there should be group leadership and individual skills that allow the group to do the following:

• Communicate with the base station.
• Verbalize an appropriate response to an emergency involving an individual (e.g., broken leg, shock, bad cut).
• Organize to shift gear in case one or more members can not carry their share.
• Provide assistance to another party traveling in the same area (e.g., directions, dangers, water, food).
• Find someone who is lost in an organized manner that does not unnecessarily endanger other people.
• Respond to a problem associated with the loss or failure of equipment.
• Develop a strategy for crossing a stream that has suddenly risen.
• Create a group consensus when there is a problem (e.g., which trail to take, should someone be sent for help).

Group Emergency Considerations

• Each person needs to have a photo on file for emergency responders. 
• Each person needs to have a "who to contact in emergency" file. 
• Each field site or trail needs to have an emergency plan.

Please Note: The skills and behaviors for this topic are under development.