Marine Mammal Conservancy, Inc's News
Hello Everyone:
We have some Volunteer Events & Training coming up that we wanted to remind you about. We have also added some classes. The following trainings are now scheduled (all classes will be held at the MMC Site unless otherwise noted, see below for directions to site).
*Please note that the schedule for Sunday, February 15th includes a full day of trainings. Please join us for this incredible lineup of valuable education.
As always, MMC offers these trainings tuition-free. $5.00 per person/class is necessary to help recover costs of reproducing class materials for each student.
Volunteer/Stranding Coordinator Class
Saturday, February 7th, 2009: 10:00am
For experienced volunteers who wish to further their skills. Stranding situations require a great deal of coordinated effort between staff and volunteers. This course covers the responsibilities of our Volunteer Coordinators who perform tasks such as scheduling, fund raising, and organizing and our Stranding Coordinators who must posses understanding of stranding site resources; policy issues; donations supervision; dealing with the volunteers and the public, ordering supplies, site set-up, press relations, forms, statistics and more.
Necropsy Protocols and Sampling Procedures
Sunday, February 8th, 2009: 10:00am
This class is designed to teach volunteers the protocols and requirements required during a necropsy. Basic anatomy will be taught as well as how to properly complete and perform the cetacean data record, chain of custody forms, specialized protocols, determining human interaction, etc.
Basic Handling, Evaluation and Transport (Three days to choose from)
Saturday, February 14th,2009: 8:30am to 11:00am
Sunday, February 15th, 2009: 8:30am to 11:00am*
Monday, February 16th, 2009: 8:30am to 11:00am
The MMC Basic course covers the essential skills and knowledge every volunteer must have. You will learn about marine mammal strandings and very basic legal issues surrounding the work we do; proper ways to approach, hold, and assist with transport and evaluation; basic anatomy; equipment; organizational structure of the stranding (or Chain of Command) and much more. For those of you that have not taken this course yet, it is the first step in your education about strandings and how to participate effectively.
First Response & Advanced Assessment
Sunday, February 15th, 2009: 11:00am to 1:00pm*
This course is designed to teach those with basic information more advanced skills for evaluating medical condition of cetaceans, how to assist with a transport, and other skills necessary in first response.
Cetacean ID & Basic Behavior in our sector
Sunday, February 15th, 2009: 2:00pm to 4:00pm*
This class is designed to give instruction in identification of the 26 cetacean species that have stranded in the South Florida area and their basic behavioral characteristics.
Basic Rigging Knots & Crane Signals
Saturday, February 21st, 2009: 10:00am
This class provides hands on learning in the five basic knots, as well as safety training for working around cranes and the Basic Crane Signals.
Marine Mammal Rescue Equipment and Field Site Set-Up
Saturday, February 21st, 2009: 1:00pm
This course provides instruction in structure of site management and logistics; set-up of a stranding site; set-up for long term care and rehabilitation; site organization of equipment and resources; equipment lists, use and identification.
A Mass Stranding Exercise will be held in April
Date: to be announced
Our Stranding Simulation or Mass Stranding Exercise is designed to give volunteers a chance to put what they have learned to work. This training experience mirrors an actual mass stranding event and is also attended by personnel from various official agencies, who participate with us in order to strengthen response skills.
DIRECTIONS TO THE MARINE MAMMAL CONSERVANCY SITE: Take US 1 to Mile Marker 102 in Key Largo, Bay side. Turn in at the large concrete Bellsouth tower through the gate to the North of the tower down to the site. Address: 102200 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037.
We look forward to having you with us for these trainings.