In addition to performing the duties under our Field Support Program (FSP), our Field Support & Rescue Program (RSRP) team members are also involved in animal intervention activity, stranding response and marine animal rescue to enable medical treatment, rehabilitation, and recovery. Our actions save marine protected animals from deaths and injuries caused by disease, hookings, entanglement in marine debris, human caused trauma, and other threats. These animal preservation and recovery activities occur on land and, when necessary, using HMAR vessel or partner vessel resource at sea. If an animal cannot be saved, our work ensures valuable research can be conducted through necropsy and research, so that species management and recovery strategies are further informed and modified to improve long-term species survival. Members of our Field Support & Rescue Program (FSRP) also work at our HMAR Care Center, our sea turtle hospital and rehabilitation facility and perform animal husbandry, assist with medical treatments, sea turtle rehabilitation, facility upkeep, maintenance, and public outreach at our facility. Note that FSRP volunteers are recruited from our Field Support Program (FSP) volunteer team so if you are interested in participating on the Field Support & Rescue team, you should apply to work on our Field Support Program team as a start unless you already have experience in a marine animal response and rescue role.

What activities will you be asked to do as a FSR volunteer?:

• Perform all of the duties of a Field Support Program (FSP) volunteer.
• 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 on shore, in nearshore waters, or on offshore islets.
• Perform sea turtle husbandry duties, assist in medical treatments and rehabilitation, and public outreach at the HMAR Care Center.
• Assist in natural disasters or environmental incidents affecting animal health.
• Transport 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 ANYWHERE on Oʻahu during your volunteer shifts.
• Maintain the minimum activity requirements for this program, which is 1 shift per week lasting 6 hours, on the same day and time each week.

Additional volunteer requirements for the Field Support & Rescue Program (FSRP):

• Meet all of the general HMAR volunteer requirements listed above.
• Generally, FSRP volunteers are drawn from the ranks of our Field Support Program (FSP) so we recommend volunteers start by volunteering in our FSP before applying for our FSRP unless you have prior experience in marine protected animal handling or rescue operations.
• Volunteers in the FSRP must be U.S. citizens due to the requirements to access certain government facilities. There are no exceptions.
• 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 and tread water for 10 minutes in the ocean.
• 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.
• Willing and able to respond anywhere on the island of Oʻahu.
• Ability to maintain a calm demeanor in potentially stressful conditions.
• Access to a reliable vehicle. Applicants with trucks or full-sized vans will be given priority.
• Possess a valid driver’s license and vehicle insurance with minimum Hawaii 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 equipment is an important tool for team members and this requirement cannot be waived.
• Possess a set of binoculars with at least 10X magnification.
• Open ocean small boat operations experience highly desired.
• HAZWOPER and ICS training and certifications. (This must be completed within the first 12 months of program participation.)
• Pinniped, sea turtle or seabird handling experience or training desired but not required.
• 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).
  • Some exceptions to these minimum commitment levels may be granted under certain circumstances (i.e. military duty, etc.)

Our Marine Debris Program (MDP) provides outreach to the public, removes marine debris found on shore, offshore or under the water, and documents our activity and debris collected to make an important impact on marine debris that endangers our ocean ecosystem and the marine protected species that call it home. We reduce marine protected animal deaths and injuries by proactively removing hazards from the ocean environment before they have a negative effect. We also collect data on debris types, amounts and accumulation rates so we optimize our activity for maximum results.

What activities will you be asked to do as a MDP volunteer?

• • • Assist in maintaining marine debris collection bins.
    • Perform outreach to members of the public.
    • If qualified, assist in nearshore (snorkel) underwater marine debris surveys and collection.
    • If qualified, properly certified and insured, assist in SCUBA underwater marine debris surveys and collection (see below for SCUBA requirements).
    • Be on call to perform these activities during your volunteer shifts.

Additional volunteer requirements:

• • • Volunteers must meet all of the general HMAR volunteer requirements listed above.
    • Ability to walk in sandy, rocky and unstable shoreline conditions for 1 mile.
    • Demonstrate the ability to lift and carry a minimum of 70 pounds for 100 feet in beach and rocky conditions.
    • Ability to conduct outdoor activity during hot, rainy or windy conditions. You must be able and willing to work on your feet in these conditions for a minimum of 4 continuous hours.
      Ability to maintain a calm demeanor in potentially stressful conditions.
    • Access to a reliable vehicle.
    • Volunteers must be willing to carry marine debris in their vehicle for transport to collection sites.
    • Possess a valid driver’s license and vehicle insurance with minimum Hawaii liability coverage.

For program participants wishing to perform nearshore (snorkel) underwater activity, the following additional requirements apply:

• • • Ability to swim required
    • Prior snorkeling experience
    • Participants must provide their own snorkeling equipment
    • Able to demonstrate satisfactory swimming and snorkeling competence

For program participants wishing to perform SCUBA underwater activity, the following additional requirements apply:

• • • Ability to swim required
    • Prior SCUBA experience
    • Participants must provide their own SCUBA equipment
    • Able to demonstrate satisfactory swimming, snorkeling and SCUBA competence
    • Rescue Diver certification or above from a nationally recognized accreditation body
    • Current DAN insurance at the “Preferred” level
    • First aid, CPR, AED and lifeguard certifications desired within first 12 months of program participation
    • Open ocean small boat operations experience desired

Volunteer activity requirements:

• • • Volunteers on this team commit to a minimum of 2 four-hour activity sessions each month.
    • Volunteers that maintain an activity level of at least 4 four-hour activity sessions each month receive additional benefits.
    • Minimum activity requirement is 1 year.
    • Only applicants agreeing to the minimum activity commitment will be accepted for this assignment.
    • Some exceptions to these minimum commitment levels may be granted under certain circumstances (i.e. military duty, health issues, etc.)

Our Operations Support Program (OSP) manages telephone hotlines that receive thousands of calls every year from the public and government agencies so that we can mount the most appropriate field action needed. Team members in this program dispatch HMAR personnel to enable field response, manage inter-agency activity, and also record and shares data obtained in the field with government research and species management partners to enhance conservation and recovery efforts. Member of this team also manage other vital HMAR systems such as online volunteer management and training systems that enable us to operate most efficiently with well-trained personnel for maximum results.

What activities will you be asked to do as a OSP volunteer?

• Take phone calls and email submissions of protected marine species sightings and animals in distress from the public, government agencies and staff/volunteers.
• Coordinate as needed with law enforcement and/or other government agencies in escalated situations.
• Complete computerized dispatch reports and contact appropriate personnel for field response.
• Enter field data into reports.
• Update internal social media streams.
• Update and create activity reports.
• Maintain the minimum activity level for this program, which is 1 shift per week (see below).

Additional volunteer requirements:

• Volunteers must meet all of the general HMAR volunteer requirements listed above.
• Must be able to perform more than one important activity at the same time.
• Ability to maintain a calm demeanor in potentially stressful conditions.
• Access to a reliable computer, phone and Internet service.
• Access to a work location with minimal background noise.
• Experience with computer applications such as Microsoft Excel and Google Docs.

Volunteer activity requirements:

• Volunteers on this team commit to a minimum of at least 1 four-hour activity session each week. Volunteers that maintain an activity level of at least 8 hours each week receive additional benefits.
• Minimum activity requirement is 1 year.
• Only applicants agreeing to the minimum activity commitment will be accepted for this assignment.
• Some exceptions to these minimum commitment levels may be granted under certain circumstances (i.e. military duty, health issues, etc.)