Field Work and “the Big One”
I’ve been thinking a bit more about safety this weekend. Yesterday, October 17, was the 20th anniversary of the Loma Prieta quake that shook the Bay Area for 15 seconds, killed scores of people, collapsed freeways, bridges and houses and postponed the World Series for 10 days.
Living in the Bay Area (and much of the West Coast), you accept the fact that an earthquake could hit at any moment. While I wasn’t in the Bay Area in 89, I have lived through an earthquake in LA and had a tornado chase me down the street growing up in Indiana. So I’ve learned to take safety seriously.
We consider ourselves “sherpas” for our clients – taking them out to see the sights, smell the smells and gather all the insights and learning that they can during our research project. We try to provide the best field experience for our clients – from strong moderating and facilitation to organizing logistical details. Safety is an important part of that.
During our pre-field briefing, we always provide some basic safety tips. Sometimes I feel like a flight attendant, with about as many people paying attention to me as it appears watch those safety videos. But I know that just reviewing some basic safety details provides a level of awareness that enables action in the “unlikely event” that something goes wrong.
What do I always touch on? Where are the emergency exits. Meet back up at the car. Don’t be a hero. Trust the hairs on the back of your neck. And depending on where we are headed, I’ll provide some information about tornadoes or earthquakes.
A reminder of the importance of safety in the field occurred this past January in Los Angeles. I was conducting a friendship circle in a respondent’s home, several clients were with me as well as a videographer. During the middle of the conversation, the house began to shake. Not shake like a truck was driving by, but shake like it was uprooting.
Everyone looked at each other, we were about to take cover (in an earthquake you duck, cover and hold on), but then it subsided. Turns out it was a 3-point something out in the mountains, strong enough to feel in LA, but not strong enough to cause damage. I looked back at my clients, who were a bit wide eyed. My participants were a bit more seasoned but also slightly shaken. After a few deep breaths, we realized we were safe and the session continued.
If it had been a “big one” – would we have reacted and gotten into position or been able to get out of the house? And if it had been a significant quake or natural disaster, then what? It’s suggested that you have supplies on hand for 72 hours. We usually have some bottles of water and snack bars in the car, but will that hold 4 people for 3 days?
Ultimately, the temblor did provide a great story for my midwest-based clients, went to LA and got to see celebrities and experience an earthquake. But it was also a reminder of the importance of sharing a few thoughts on safety to help keep everyone safe out in the field.
Are you prepared when you go into the field? What are your safety habits?