Issue #37 Safety In the Field

Going into the field to investigate a case is probably one of the most important aspects of investigation. Although it is a rare occurrence, when the need arises, you definitely want to be prepared. Whether you are merely going to the home of a witness to record their statements, or you are going out in rough terrain in search of an alleged crash, there are steps you will want to take to ensure your safe return.

I do not advise any Field Investigator's to conduct personal interviews of the witness alone. For one thing, it is bad investigative technique. It takes two people to really pay attention to all of the aspects of the witness during questioning. But not only that, there is also safety in numbers. It is a lot less likely that anything unseemly will occur if there are two Field Investigators present.

I also recommend that Field Investigators notify either their State Section Director, or their State Director before going out into the field on any type of investigation. That is just standard procedure in any type of investigation to let someone know when, where, and why you are going somewhere. That way if anything happens to them, someone knows where to start looking.

Obviously if you are going out into "the boonies" in search of a crash, or any evidence of that nature, you will want to take extra steps according to the type of terrain you will be traversing. Dressing appropriately should be your first concern.

Make sure to wear good sturdy boots, and make sure that they fit properly. Getting a blister miles from help could be disastrous.

Next you want to protect yourself from the sun. I don't so much believe that U.V. rays are worse now than when I was younger as I do that we've learned more about them and the damage they can do when exposed to them for long periods of time. At least use SPF 30 on any exposed areas.

Depending on the time of year you could use your own judgement as to whether you would want to wear shorts or long pants, and the same goes with shirts. However I do recommend that no matter what time of year, always make sure to have at least a light jacket handy. Weather can change at a moment's notice.

A hat is also something that can provide not only protection from the sun, but can also aid in cooling you off if you are overheated. All you have to do is get it wet and it can really help to keep your head cool.

If you are going into any kind of back country, make sure that you have your compass, and plenty of maps of the area your will be covering. You might also want to consider an emergency GPS device, such as Chuck Modlin reviewed during training. If you need rescuing, that could be the difference between life and death.

Snakes, bugs, and wild critters that are common to the area you are going should be considered as well. Generally though most will leave you alone if you extend the same courtesy. Just be aware of your surroundings constantly.

Also be sure to have a flashlight, spare batteries, and whatever other backup source of illumination you deem necessary. I like to have a few glow sticks as well. Light is something that is very important at night, but remember...it is also a signal from miles away as to your location.

And then of course, one has to consider...what do you do if you actually come across a crashed UFO? I think if I were to come across one, I'd be reaching for my geiger counter immediately! I'd probably be concerned about what I might be breathing as well, and might want to put on some sort of protection, such as a gas mask. Remember, any time you get a reading of high levels of radiation, back off immediately! If you do not detect radiation I would still be extra-careful...there are no "Citizen Guides To Crash Retrievals" that I'm aware of, so one would be writing protocol as they went so to speak, so exercising extreme caution would just make sense.

I hope this provokes a little thought on the subject of safety...I want you all to be able to come back next week for more!