Field Support & Rescue Program (FSRP) Additional Information and Requirements:
IMPORTANT NOTE: In order to participate as a volunteer in the Field Support & Rescue Program (FSRP), volunteers will be required to demonstrate an increased level of time commitment and physical fitness and must also purchase required personal equipment.
Volunteers in this program MUST BE U.S. CITIZENS due to requirements to access certain government facilities. No exceptions are allowed.
As a volunteer in our Field Support & Rescue Program (FSRP) you will be performing activity that has a direct impact on the health and conservation of Hawaiian monk seals, sea turtles, seabirds, dolphins and whales.
As a volunteer in this program, you will perform the following activities:
- All activities included in the Field Support Program (FSP) above.
- Respond in the field to reports of live or dead Hawaiian monk seals, sea turtles, seabirds, dolphins or whales.
- Assist with or perform animal assessments, disentanglement, recovery, stranding response or other intervention activity.
- Conduct surveys for protected marine animals in nearshore waters or on offshore islets.
- Assist at the HMAR Care Center, our marine animal hospital and rehabilitation center for sea turtles. Work includes sea turtle medical care, husbandry, facility upkeep and visitor outreach.
- Assist in natural disasters or environmental incidents affecting animal health.
- Assist in the transport of live or dead seals, seabirds, sea turtles, dolphins, and small whales.
- While performing the above activities, conduct outreach to the public.
- Be on call and ready to perform ALL of these activities during your volunteer shifts.
- Maintain the minimum activity requirements for this program (see below).
Additional volunteer requirements for the Field Support & Rescue Program (FSRP):
- Volunteer applicants with a truck or full-sized van will be given priority.
- Meet all of the general HMAR volunteer requirements listed above.
- Due to the need to access certain government facilities, participants in this program must be U.S. citizens.
- Willing and able to respond anywhere on the island of Oʻahu.
- Able to walk in sandy, rocky and unstable shoreline conditions for at least 2 miles.
- Demonstrate the ability to lift and carry 75 pounds for 100 feet in beach and rocky conditions.
- Demonstrate the ability to swim for 100 yards on the water surface, swim underwater for 30 feet, and tread water for 10 minutes.
- Ability to conduct outdoor activity during hot, rainy or windy conditions.
- Able and willing to work on your feet in these conditions for a minimum of 6 consecutive hours.
- Ability to maintain a calm demeanor in potentially stressful conditions.
- Volunteers in this program with trucks or full-sized vans must be willing to transport live or dead marine animals in their vehicle.
- Possess a valid driver’s license and vehicle insurance with minimum Hawaiʻi liability coverage.
- Possess a digital camera (a smartphone is not sufficient) with at least a 35X zoom. The digital camera must have the ability to upload photos taken to your smartphone so they may be emailed from the field in real time. This can be accomplished using WiFi, Bluetooth or through the use of a data card upload cable. This requirement to have a digital camera cannot be waived.
- Possess a set of binoculars with at least 10X magnification. This requirement to have a set of binoculars cannot be waived for FSRP volunteers.
- Open ocean small boat operations experience highly desired.
- HAZWOPER and ICS training and certifications.(It is desired that this is completed within the first 12 months of program participation.)
- Pinniped, sea turtle or seabird handling experience or training desired.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Some Field Support & Rescue Program (FSRP) activities will involve interactions with animals that are expired and in various stages of decomposition. Participants must be able to see and do unpleasant things without feeling sick.
Volunteer activity requirements:
- Volunteers on this team commit to a minimum of 1 six-hour activity session each week on the same day and time period each week.
- Minimum activity requirement is 1 year.
- Only applicants agreeing to the minimum activity commitment will be accepted into the Field Support & Rescue Program (FSRP).