1. Register Your Trip
You are automatically registered if you book travel using UC’s central travel service ConnexxUC; otherwise, you should register trips over 100 miles via the website UC Away. Shortly after registration you will receive an email with UC travel insurance numbers and destination-specific information. If conditions change during your trip (e.g. approaching storm, disease outbreak, heightened security), you will receive updated alerts via email with specific guidance for your location. You may also access travel intelligence reports directly by logging in to the Crisis24 Horizon Portal or by downloading the mobile app Crisis24 Horizon. To register the first time you will need to use your Berkeley email address as your username and “UCBCampus” as your MemberID. Familiarize yourself with the UC Travel Insurance plan before you go. Coverage is free and available for both out-of-state and foreign travel.
2. Develop a Field Safety Plan
For field work in remote locations - or hazardous work off campus - develop a field safety plan with site information and emergency procedures. Many researchers including biologists, archeologists and engineers are using handheld satellite devices that provide GPS-tracking and emergency SOS features, for example Spot Messengers or Garmin Inreach devices that support 2-way texting globally via satellite. Your field safety plan serves as a hazard assessment tool and can include Go/No Go criteria, refer to other protocols or training, and be used to brief your field team or course participants on trip logistics and precautions. Berkeley’s Field Safety Plan template is available as an example. Review Path to Care’s Field Placement Guide to incorporate strategies to prevent harassment & violence.
3. Complete Training
At minimum, outdoor researchers and staff should complete Cal/OSHA Heat Illness Prevention (EHS 702) and Wildfire Smoke Protection (EHS 704) training, and for remote field sites at least one person should have current first aid certification. Both EH&S and RecWell regularly offer courses on campus. The UC Field Safety Leadership Training Library offers additional training for trip leaders on a broad range of travel and field-related risks.
4. Carry a First Aid Kit
Customize the kit for your location and tasks, replenish expired materials and carry extra disposable gloves. EH&S offers the NOLS 4.0 kit for field researchers to borrow while supplies last. The NOLS 4.0 kit includes pointed tweezers for tick removal, Moleskin, an irrigation syringe and povidone iodine for wounds, athletic tape, shears, various bandages, and even a small roll of duct tape. Additional items suggested by field researchers include Quickclot, OcuFresh eyewash, Technu, a Samsplint and epinephrine autoinjectors (prescription required; training available via EH&S).
5. Consider (and Discuss) Security Risks and Personal Safety
Discuss plans, safety concerns & precautions in advance of travel with your supervisor or advisor. Maintain a check-in plan to be able to discuss emerging concerns during travel and make informed decisions together. Consult with reliable local contacts, check State Department warnings, and review a “security brief” for your destination, available by registering your trip with UC Away or logging into the Crisis24 Horizon Portal directly. Note, travel to State Department Level 4 / 'Do Not Travel' destinations requires further campus review beyond your department. See International Travel, Protocol, & Approval. If you’re teaching a field course or leading a trip, review precautions and expectations before your trip, e.g. regarding free time, leaving the group, alcohol and drug use, local crime risks, and situational awareness. Concise, clear messages keep your group aware. Effective leaders brief at the start of the day, at the start of an activity, and as conditions change. If you are traveling and need help, call the toll-free number on your travel insurance card (provided when you register your trip), contact your campus department, or reach out to UC Berkeley Risk Services directly.