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Health & Safety Information

Emergency Calls

If you experience an emergency in the field and have a cell phone, call the San Mateo County Sheriff Dispatch at 650-363-4911. If you are at a regular phone or do not have the Sheriff's number, call 911. Contact a Jasper Ridge staff member as soon as possible who can help guide emergency personnel to you.

Phones are located in the Sun Field Station and outside the Hillside Lab. There is also a phone in the ranger residence (only available when someone is home).

If an off-site, private residence is closer, try there first.

See the Basic First Aid procedures and techniques section below.

Some Information Sources

Lyme DiseaseTick

 

RattlesnakesRattlesnake

Information on Rattlesnakes:

 

Poison OakPoison oak

American Academy of Dermatology
www.aad.org/dermatology-a-to-z/diseases-and-treatments/m---p/poison-ivy

 

Hanta Virus

The Center for Disease Control:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hanta/hps/

California Dept of Public Health
www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/pdf/HPS_Brochure.pdf

All participants in studies that involve trapping or handling mammals should review the following publication:

Guidelines for the capture, handling, and care of mammals as approved by the American Society of Mammalogists. See section on human safety. www.mammalsociety.org/uploads/committee_files/Sikes%20et%20al%202011.pdf

Mice seropositive for Hantavirus have been found in both San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.

Information on reported incidences of selected diseases in San Mateo County during 2003-2005 is available on p. 3 of: http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/

Information on disease surveillance in Santa Clara County is available at: http://www.sccgov.org

Mountain Lions (aka cougar, puma)puma

Living with California Mountain Lions:
California Department of Fish & Game
nrm.dfg.ca.gov

Cougar Facts:
Mountain Lion Foundation
http://www.mountainlion.org/facts_safety.asp

The mountain lion at right was videotaped on May 28, 2010, at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve. The lion was walking along one of JRBP's fire roads at 7:47am on a weekday.

Mountain lions may be active at any time of the day throughout the preserve.

West Nile Virusmosquito

California Department of Health Services
http://westnile.ca.gov

Center for Disease Control
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm

Tularemia

Center for Disease Control
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/tularemia/facts.asp

Chiggers (Trombicula alfreddugesi (Oudemans))

Ohio State University Extension
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2100.html

UC Riverside Entomology
http://www.insects.ucr.edu/ebeling/ebel9-3.html

Basic First Aid

Sprains and breaks -- Keep limb immobile. Call for help.

Bleeding -- Stop blood flow using direct pressure and elevation.

Shock -- Can be caused by accident, heart attack, bee sting, etc. Call for help. Lay victim down, keep warm, elevate feet (unless there is a head injury).

Heart attack, stroke -- Call for help. Administer mouth to mouth resuscitation and CPR if necessary.

Heat exhaustion -- The victim may appear pale and weak, and the skin appears cool and moist. Let person lie down in the shade with raised legs, give water with salt or a re-hydration drink like Gatorade. Prevention: On hot days carry extra water.

Heat stroke -- Not common, but very dangerous. Call for help. The victim is extremely hot and the skin is red and dry. Cool victim by bathing with cool water or fanning.

Hypothermia -- Provide warmth. Call for help or transport victim. Core re-warming is the most effective treatment for all cases of moderate to severe hypothermia.

Snake bite -- Reassure and keep victim from moving around. Call for help. Transport victim to Stanford Hospital as soon as possible.

Bee Sting -- (Allergic Reaction) Individuals with known bee sting allergies often carry treatment kits. Call for help if reaction is severe. Transport to Stanford Hospital for additional help.

Permission to Enter and Assumption of Risk, Indemnity and Waiver Form

To be signed by any person (or parent/guardian of if applicant is a minor) who is not a registered student or current employee of Stanford University who wishes to enter Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve ("Jasper Ridge"). 

Download (PDF format)