"Been a long time since we rock-n-rolled…"

Al Webster GPS in hand

I’d been thinking of several different subjects I wanted to mention and talk about the past couple of weeks, but I’ve been very busy preparing for the Heritage Resource Investigations (HRI) course I coordinated/taught earlier this week (see post: 12 Jan). This weekend is the State SiteWatch Steward Conference where I was to address what has been happening in the Santa Fe-Galisteo Basin Chapter + safety issues. Unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to be at the Conference (71 are registered from around New Mexico), as I’ll be pinch-hitting as collegiate tennis chair umpire at UNM.

Therefore, it’s a good thing that I recently had the HRI experience to reflect upon for the very important aspects of safety when Rangering or stewarding a resource:

1. Be Prepared – take the following

a.     SiteWatch Steward ID Card, HPD Volunteer Steward Agreement, land manager volunteer agreement (for each jurisdiction to be visited on the trip)

2. Folder with copy of Lab of Anthropology Site Record, SITE MAP- clearly showing Public Land Survey System and/or UTM locations, historical records: survey reports, excavation reports, site photos, etc.
3. Impact Reporting forms for natural damage and vandalism (human caused).
4. Agency approved list of emergency contacts for incidents and situations, and instructions for non-emergency incident reporting.

5. Access/exit route instructions including vehicle requirements and any other special considerations specific to the site(s). Contact information for landowners at and near the site.

OTHER FIELD ITEMS

6. USGS topographic map(s), Compass (and/or GPS), Paper and pad for notes and/or small tape recorder, First aid kit, drinking water, appropriate clothing, and a full tank of gasoline in your vehicle (spare tire, jack, lug-wrench; someplaces a shovel), Camera, film/disc, photo log form(s), binoculars, Brochures for public distribution (from land manager or SiteWatch), Fully charged cell phone, CB, two-way radio, or other contact instrument In many areas cell phones do not work – do not rely on this form of communication.

2.   Have a partner:

NM SiteWatch suggests that volunteers work in teams of two (2) or more. When you are out with a group, stay with at least one other in your party. We had a Search incident last July where an experienced SiteWatch volunteer was with a group site tour that ended with a State Police helicopter ride when they went solo: Don’t go-it-alone.

3. Be properly clothed, provisioned, and equipped for the trip.
4. Review the weather-related forecasts of the trip before departing. If there is more than a slight possibility of trouble or restricted access due to weather, the trip should be rescheduled.
5. Systematic plan for APPROACHING & assessing the Safety to enter (and later survey) the site.
6. Stewards shall ALWAYS “sign-out”, in person or by phone, with some person immediately before departure:  Give the location of the site/s to be visited, the name of person/s participating, the route/s to be taken, and the expected time of return. The actual person to whom the Steward is signing in/out should be reliable and preferably constant (i.e. use the same person every time if possible). Remember to sign back in upon your return!
7. Accidents (with or without injury), or vehicle breakdown: the person/s involved should stay on the established route until help arrives. As accidents are by definition unforeseeable, the Steward will not deviate from the established route – emergency personnel must know where to look for you.

8. Stewards must not confront or openly observe persons involved in suspicious activity. Any actions that might provoke confrontation or pursuit shall be avoided. Each steward should have a credible reason for being at/near the site in the event that interaction with suspected criminals is unavoidable. Suspicious activity or vandalism should be reported to the authorities as soon as safely possible and recorded on appropriate forms.
9. Rodents = hantavirus, holes-n-snakes: health & safety issues to be aware of. This reporting party had the earth surface give-way to mid-calf at Burnt Corn Pueblo recently.

Hope you continue to go forth, do good, “and be careful out there…”

http://sitestewardfoundation.org/index.php