Explore more #6: emergency response planning

Are you developing an idea for an overseas expedition or fieldwork project and in need of expert guidance on your next steps?

Throughout the first half of 2025, the RGS Explore team will be hosting fortnightly lunchtime webinars, each on a specific topic. You’ll learn how to refine and launch a successful exploratory venture, whether that’s a challenging journey with a purpose, field research in a remote location, or anything in between.

In the sixth event in this series, we’ll discuss the potentially life-saving process of emergency response planning – in other words, deciding in advance what you’ll do if things go wrong.

What you will learn

You will learn:

• The importance of a well-defined emergency response plan.
• Researching and developing a comprehensive plan for various scenarios.
• Practicing and refining your emergency response plan through simulations, roleplay and training.

About the hosts

Tom Allen is the Society's Expeditions and Fieldwork Manager. He is an explorer, author, trail prospector and responsible travel advocate specialising in the Caucasus region, as well a past recipient of the Society Land Rover Bursary and a long-time bicycle traveller.

In addition to supporting our core audience of fieldwork and expeditions practitioners, Tom will be helping the Society to expand the Society’s support to many more people, from leading experts to the simply curious, who want to make the world a better place as they travel with purpose, develop geographical knowledge, and share what they learn.

Shane Winser is the Society’s Expeditions and Fieldwork advisor, providing advice, information, and training to a wide range of scientific, educational, and adventurous expeditions. Together with colleagues, Shane curates the Society’s annual Explore weekend held each November.

Shane is a member of BSI’s technical panel for BS 8848, the British Standard that specifies operational requirements for organisers of a wide variety of overseas ventures including university and academic fieldwork, gap year experiences, adventure holidays, charity challenges and research expeditions.

She is a co-editor of the Oxford Handbook of Expedition and Wilderness Medicine, now in its third edition, and editor of the RGS Expedition Handbook.

About our guests

Steve Jones worked in finance in London for a few years before becoming an expedition leader and country director for Raleigh International. He went on be the base manager of the largest non-governmental operation in Antarctica for Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions LLC (ALE).

He has hard-won leadership experience in high-risk environments and is an expert on expedition planning, safety management, and polar expeditions.

As Expeditions Manager for ALE, he works with expeditions to Antarctica from first inquiry to departure. He also works as a speaker and advises on safety management and crisis management to projects around the world.

He is an expeditions and fieldwork council member of the Society.

Website

Charlie Eustace works for Pharos Response a specialist risk, reputation and crisis management consultancy that helps organisations in the education, youth, travel, and adventure sectors to precent, prepare and respond to critical incidents.

Booking information

• Advance booking for this event is required. In order to book you will need an account on our website. If you already have an account you will be prompted to log in when you click 'book now'. Please create an account if you do not have one yet (you do not need to be a member of the Society to create an account).

Attending online

• Joining instructions will be included in your confirmation email.

If you have any questions or require assistance with your booking, please email events@rgs.org