Training & Resources

Wilderness First Aid (WFA)

Wilderness First Aid training, either 8-hour or 16-hour, is recommended for any researchers traveling to areas greater than 1 hour from emergency medical care. The 8-hour course is suitable for most researchers and includes CPR/AED certification. If your work is very remote, a 16-hour class may be more suitable.

We encourage participants to either share a draft Field Safety Plan for feedback, or schedule a brief consultation to collaborate on a plan if you don't have one already. To inquire about Wilderness First Aid or other training, or for help with your Field Safety Plan, email Heather at [email protected] or fill out the Field Safety Training Information Request.

Wilderness First Aid: 8 hours

(8 hours, 1 day)

Saturday, February 7, 2026. 8:30am - 5:30pm
Friday, March 13, 2026. 8:30am - 5:30pm
Saturday, April 11, 2026. 8:30am - 5:30pm

Wilderness First Aid: 16 hours

(16 hours, 2 days)

Saturday and Sunday, February 28 - March 1, 2026. 8:30am - 5:30pm both days

Harassment Prevention for Field Settings

EH&S is hosting a workshop by FieldFutures on preventing sexual harassment and fostering a positive learning and working environment during fieldwork. The intended audience is anybody at UC Davis involved in remote field research, including faculty, student researchers, trip leaders and teaching assistants, field station staff, and research staff.

Please express interest through the FieldFutures training request form.

Wednesday, February 11, 2026. 2:00pm - 3:30pm

UC Field Safety Leadership Training Series 2026

The UC Field Safety Leadership Training Series features timely, challenging topics lead by subject matter experts, presented online in workshop format with opportunities to discuss scenarios, practice skills, and plan for your specific field projects and settings. This event is sponsored by UCOP Risk Services, UCLA BSAS GAEL, the UC Field Research Safety Center of Excellence, and the UC Field Safety Workgroup. Content is compiled and accessible to all via the UC Field Safety Leadership Training Library. Learn more about our resources by visiting the UC Field Research Safety Center of Excellence website.

Emergency Response Panel Talk

This session will bring together professionals with expertise in emergency response to share lessons learned, protocols, and highlight practical tips valuable for a broad range of travelers and field researchers. Each speaker will present on their unique role and experience, and participate in a panel Q&A session. Format: Zoom. February 25 and February 27, 2026.

Mental Health First Aid for Field Settings

This will be a highly interactive workshop focused on developing skillful empathy and practicing tangible tools to address behavioral challenges that arise in field settings when we are the only responders available. Mental Health First Aid for Field Settings goes beyond an awareness-level workshop as its main goal is to build skills and confidence in attending to mental health challenges. Format: Zoom. March 4 and March 6, 2026.

ADVANCEing Field Safety: Preparation & Leadership in the Field

ADVANCEing FieldSafety (AFS) is a widely accessible training for anyone working in field science to help build a safe and welcoming field environment and team culture. The program is a NSF-funded collaboration between the FieldSafe team at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado Boulder and the ADVANCEGeo Partnership. Format: Zoom. March 11 and March 13, 2026.

Field Emergency Tabletop Drill

As a follow up activity to the emergency panel talk and other sessions, this event will offer the opportunity to network with peers and learn in person on campus or at a field station. Participants will build knowledge and skills by practicing responding to a mock emergency scenario in small groups. Participants should indicate interest on the series registration form and will receive an email invitation with additional information. Format: In-person. Date: TBD.

Emergency Response Debrief

This final session of the series will be a facilitated discussion via Zoom to reflect on the tabletop exercises, identify what went well and what could be improved, and develop recommendations to strengthen our operations and plans. Format: Zoom. April 8, 2026.

Field Research Safety Workshop

In this interactive workshop, we discuss planning strategies to stay safe and get the most out of your trips to the field. If you would like a custom workshop or presentation tailored to the needs of your department or research group, contact Heather at [email protected].

Available on request