What Has Brown Done For The OWCN Lately?!?

For those of you who have attended Oilapalooza for several years now, you know that the OWCN has been working diligently on developing a medical records database that will capture electronically much of the basic information that we all collect during spills.

Imagine – field data that doesn’t have to be entered on the bird box, the beach search effort, the field stabilization form, the Live Animal Log, and the Intake sheet! Paradise you might say – and I would agree! Even better, for those of us who have played “Bird Record Bingo” with the records late at night during large spills to collate and reconcile the data so that wash lists, pre-wash exam lists, pre-release evaluations can be done at the earliest opportunity. Ah, it brings a small tear to my eye just thinking of it!

Well, in order to try and make this happen, the OWCN has been working for a long, long time on different iterations of just such a system (and as the resident Ol’ Timer on this, I have files and versions dating back to 1998 discussing this very issue). The most recent exciting evolution of this has been partnering with UPS (yes, Big Brown) on the modification of their TrackPad system, used for tracking packages throughout the world, to track birds (and their data) through the facility. This system will use a combination of handheld PCs and laptop computers, all connected to both a local server and a remote server at UC Davis, to capture the basic info we need to move animals through to system. Ideally, this will also include the integration of bar codes on bands, on cages/pools and on examiners so that those basic data can be quickly and effectively collected with few errors.

On the data analysis side, this system would (and will) be coupled with custom reports so that, at the push of a button, we can have bird wash lists generated based on pre-established criteria, medical records available to review, and the animal number so urgently needed by the Unified Command available on a near-real-time capability.

All this sounds great, you say. Well, where is it?!? Well, we have had a number of hurdles to go over – some more challenging than others (Deepwater Horizon, loss of key OWCN staff), some more technical in nature (the OWCN Director needing to learn server technology) and some simply due to the lack of time from all parties involved. However, in the last several months, due largely to the persistence of Emily and the availability of Mike Dutra (our UPS lead contact), we are making great strides in moving forward. We actually have a system ready to be “alpha-tested”, looking at entering the data from each of the facility areas and ensuring this information is correctly transferred to the servers. Once that is done, we will be ready to work directly with our other rehabilitation partners to ensure the information captured is done in the most effective manner.

So, while it isn’t ready for the official unveiling quite yet, I am ecstatic about our most recent progress. Hopefully, at the next Oilapalooza, we will have more than just pretty pictures to show – maybe we can have wet labs on how to run the system! Stay tuned!

- Mike

Pacific Seabird Group Annual Meeting

I just returned from the 39th annual meeting of the Pacific Seabird Group. The setting for the meeting this year was at Turtle Bay Resort, in Haleiwa, Hawaii (northern shore of Oahu). It had been about 9 years since the last time I was at a PSG meeting, so I was thrilled to be given the chance to re-connect with old friends and meet new seabird biologists. The scientific program theme for this year’s conference was “Tropical Seabirds”, and was one of the largest PSG programs ever, with 144 oral presentations and 56 posters. Each day began with a plenary speaker, all of them excellent: Dr. Matthieu LeCorre (“Migration strategies of seabirds of the tropical Indian Ocean”), Dr. John Cooper (“Conservation and restoration of islands in the Southern Ocean”), and Dr. Jeffrey Polovina (“Recent changes at the top and bottom of the Central North Pacific subtropical ecosystem”). I gave two oral presentations, “Post-release monitoring of Western Grebes using implanted satellite transmitters” and “Shared sensitivities to environmental variation as a tool for threatened species management”. In addition, I was one of the student judges, so I was kept pretty busy running from room to room to catch talks and reading posters. I must say, though, I was very impressed with the quality of the student talks and posters.

The week flew by, but I did get a chance to see a Hawaiian monk seal (photo below), Laysan albatross, and a few Red-footed boobies flying by. Since the monk seals are critically endangered, with only about 1060 individuals (NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service website), all sightings of seals are reported. The seal I saw is an adult female known as R016, or Right Spot, named as such because of the spot that this animal has on her back. It was also relatively easy to see humpback whales breaching if you kept your eyes on the horizon and past the breakers. The last day of the meeting they had a Fun Run as a fundraiser for albatross conservation. I participated in this, and the idea was to “catch the albatross”, who was this incredibly fast guy wearing an albatross hat. Given that his slowest pace was faster than my fastest pace, I didn’t have much of a chance to catch him, but it was a fun way to end the week anyway. Overall, it was a truly inspiring conference and location.

Kyra.

Yes, the blob on the beach is a Hawaiian monk seal known as "Right Spot"

WAAM . . .

. . always makes me think of the David Bowie song, but with this spelling, we are in fact referring to a more scholarly entity, namely, the Wildlife and Aquatic Animal Medicine club of the UC Davis veterinary school.  Mike, Emily, and I gave a training session to about 25 vet students this weekend.  We covered the whole gamut of oiled bird care, from effects of oil on animals to pre-release conditioning. Mike even included a review of relevant oil spill legislation and, of course, stuck in a few org charts.

Dr. Mike lecturing to the vet students this weekend.

The students were a mix of first, second, and third years, and while some had had some wildlife experience before, most were new to avian medicine.  An International Bird Rescue volunteer loaned us her pet ducks, so the students were able to practice avian physical exam skills.  The ducks were surprisingly cooperative, but I found out later that they were promised extra lettuce, so I’m sure that was what motivated them to be so tractable.

Vet students examining a female mallard.

Using live ducks is a great way for the students to practice handling and restraining birds without any injuries — to the birds OR the students!  The mallards are pet ducks, so they are used to people, and they don’t have the super sharp beaks that many seabirds have. They are also–as you can see–extremely cute and personable!

Listening to the duck's heart and lungs.

After practicing their exam skills, the students put the ducks back in their carriers and worked on some seabird carcasses.  They practiced exam skills, and also learned the techniques they would need to know for processing an oiled bird during a spill.  Although dealing with carcasses is a lot less fun than dealing with living, quacking ducks, it is a great way to practice without worrying about the stress level of the patient.  The students palpated different species and got a bit of an appreciation for the diversity of species that might be impacted by a spill.

Emily demonstrating restraint and handling techniques.

We were really happy to have so many vet students give up half of their weekend for wildlife.  Despite their intense class schedules and (what seems like) a million exams, these guys drove out to Fairfield early Sunday morning and spent the whole day with us, listening to lectures, asking questions, and learning some new skills.  That’s pretty dedicated, considering that there won’t be an exam on anything we did!

Christine

An OWCN Valentine’s Day

Hello Everyone, and Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!

The OWCN staff decided to spend our Valentine’s Day with dinner and a movie.  Well, not exactly dinner, more like root beer floats, cookies, and popcorn…..and it wasn’t really a movie, more of a training, but still….

Nancy helps r2 settle in with a root beer float, prior to the compassion fatigue viewing.

We participated in a training webinar from the Green Cross Academy of Traumatology program, titled “Compassion Fatigue for the Animal Care Worker”; and yes, the irony of compassion fatigue on Valentine’s Day was not lost on us! We are hoping that by preparing for compassion fatigue, that in the event of a spill, we can help to avoid unmanageable stress and burn outs in our staff and volunteers, and keep everyone happy with their work.

So have a wonderful Valentine’s Day, and remember to take some time today for yourself and be stress free!

-Becky

IOSSOCRVTC?

That’s right, yesterday was the Inaugural Oiled Southern Sea Otter Care and Response for Veterinarians Training Course.  Well, I know Mike likes acronyms, but  . . . . perhaps we’ll just stick with Oiled Sea Otter Vet Training Course.

As I said, yesterday the Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center in Santa Cruz hosted the first ever OWCN training course for veterinarians in sea otter care.  With the help of Drs. Melissa Miller, Mike Murray, and Dave Jessup, we trained a dozen California (and one Washington) wildlife vets in the basics of oil spill response and clinical medicine of southern sea otters.

Dr. Miller demonstrating sea otter necropsy findings.

Sea otters are unique marine mammals for a number of reasons, both regulatory and biological, so they warrant a day all to themselves.  After covering some background on spill response, we heard about clinical medicine, anesthesia, diseases, and washing of sea otters from the world’s experts in the field (all of whom maintain close relationships with OWCN).

Dr. Miller, who has conducted literally thousands of necropsies on sea otters, had some specimens for us to poke and prod.  She gave us a crash course on the differences one might see when examining an otter killed by a shark bite compared to one killed by a boat strike (both all too common for southern sea otters), and gave us some great tips on what to look for when examining a living otter.  Dr. Murray then demonstrated some clinical techniques using the carcasses.  Being veterinarians, we had no problem going directly from the necropsy lab to the kitchen for lunch!

Dr. Jessup leading veterinarians on a tour of the sea otter facility he helped design.

We also got a tour of the “otter taj mahal,” as we like to call it, by Drs. Jessup and Ziccardi, who designed the facility to care for, wash, and hold over 100 sea otters in the event of an oil spill.  Although the facility has been around for a while now, yesterday’s course was an important step in increasing California’s readiness to care for sea otters affected by petroleum spills.  The participating veterinarians were incredibly enthusiastic and asked us great questions that are going to help us refine and clarify sea otter response protocols.

The two Dr. Mikes enjoying their coffee before the lectures start.

The MWVCRC staff, including its new director, Laird Henkel, did a great job welcoming us and making sure everything ran smoothly.  No one wants there to be oiled sea otters, but as of yesterday, we are all confident that best achievable care just got better.

Christine

OWCN Annual Update

Hello Everyone,

The OWCN Annual Update is now available to view online at: http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/whc/local-assets/pdfs/OWCNannualupdate2011.pdf

We will also be emailing copies later today to volunteers who have selected to receive the update.

-Becky

Arcata Outreach

Emily and I traveled to Arcata this past weekend for an outreach and to provide some training to our volunteers.  Tamar, the coordinator of the Marine Wildlife Care Center at Humboldt State University, helped organize a diverse group of volunteers from numerous organizations, including Bird Ally X, Audubon Society, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, the Yurok Tribe, Humboldt Wildlife, Northcoast Marine Mammal Center, and Humboldt State (if I’ve forgotten anyone, I apologize!).  We had both seasoned oil spill volunteers as well as newcomers, and it was great to see those “veterans” sharing their skills and experiences with less-experienced folks.

After a couple of hours of lectures, we let our students work on some bird carcasses, and we were lucky to have Monte and January (a former OWCN staffer!) there to help us demonstrate various skills.  The students practiced giving injections, giving fluids, avian intake exams, restraint, applying donuts and booties, and avian processing.  While it’s always a little sad (and sometimes a bit stinky!) to work on dead birds, it’s a great way to practice skills so that when it’s time to handle a living (and stressed out) bird, you’ll be faster and less hesitant.  A rapid but thorough exam is the best gift you can give an oiled bird!

When we were done, Tamar had some yummy pizza delivered, and then she gave a facility tour and discussed some of the upgrades to the building that will be done in the next year or so.  We all lingered outside as long as possible, because the weather was unseasonably and fabulously warm and sunny.  Having never before been in Arcata when it wasn’t pouring rain, I finally could appreciate what a gorgeous place it is!

We are lucky to have such a dedicated bunch of volunteers in this vulnerable coastal area.  Thanks to Tamar, January, Monte, and all the volunteers who devoted their Saturday morning to help improve readiness “behind the redwood curtain!”

Christine

 

ICS Training Opportunities

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to participate in ICS training (Incident Command System) offered by the United States Coast Guard. I was so impressed with the professionalism, enthusiasm, and commitment to protecting our nation’s waterways that was shown by all the “Coasties” that I met during the four-day course. When I sometimes start to wonder if all our efforts are making a difference, all I really need to do is re-energize by spending a little time talking with the amazing people that make up our partner organizations and affiliated agencies.

While you may have heard that ICS training can be a little less than stimulating at times…it really is an essential tool for everyone who wants to work on an oil spill response. It’s the system that our government agencies have agreed on to use to organize the response for any disaster. Therefore a basic knowledge of ICS helps the average citizen to be better prepared for any emergency such as wildfire, earthquake or flood that might occur in their “backyard”. In fact the system works so well, that many non-governmental organizations use the same principles to organize events such as concerts, festivals, and community events (4^th of July Fireworks displays, parades, etc.).

If you ask any oil spill response veteran to list the three biggest challenges faced when responding to a large oil spill, they will say, “Communication, communication, communication!”

Communication difficulties: http://www.jimbo.info/weblog/?m=200909

One of the main objectives of ICS is to solve this problem.   It does so by setting up an organization system that is:

• Flexible: Can be scaled to the size of the “event”
• Establishes a Chain of Command: All responders know who their supervisor is (i.e. who they should report to and who will hold them accountable) and all supervisors know who and what information they are responsible for communicating to their staff.
• Establishes a common communications plan that includes use of common terminology and protocols.
• Establishes a single command structure where the most qualified on-scene authority becomes the Incident Commander (single person, mostly in small response) or the Unified Command (Small team of experts that act as single command, larger responses).
• The response is managed by Incident Objectives that are based on the following priorities:
  • Human safety
  • Incident stabilization & protection of the environment
  • Protection of property or commerce

If you are interested in learning more about ICS, there are several free, online courses. They are offered through FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute. Allow approximately 3 hours to take each course.  You must complete the course in a single uninterrupted session in order to receive your certificate.  If you have to leave the course for a break, do not exit from the course or close your browser window.  Follow the links below, and then click on “Interactive Web Based Course” in the upper right corner of the page.

1. The Introduction to Incident Command System (ICS-100) introduces the Incident Command System (ICS) and provides the foundation for higher level ICS training. This course describes the history, features and principles, and organizational structure of the Incident Command System. It also explains the relationship between ICS and the National Incident Management System (NIMS). http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/IS100b.asp
2. ICS-200, or ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents, is designed to enable personnel to operate efficiently during an incident or event within the Incident Command System, and provides training on and resources for personnel who are likely to assume a supervisory position within the ICS. http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/IS200b.asp
3. Additionally, IS-700, which provides an overview of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), is useful and provides additional information related to how government, private-sector, and nongovernmental organizations work together during domestic incidents. http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/is/is700a.asp

If you find ICS training helpful, the FEMA website provides other opportunities for additional on line trainings. It can never hurt to be more prepared!

- Nancy

USCG oil spill response: http://www.uscg.mil/d17/D17%20Divisions/drm/DRAT/DRATpage.asp

ICS training: http://emsi-ics-services.com/pgs/ics.html