If you are a current ECWR volunteer interested in this team, I’m sure you received the email inviting you to the Marine Mammal Stranding Team class being held tonight at the Okaloosa County Fire Department (same building as the Volunteer Orientation). This class is being used to gauge interest and capabilities for ECWR’s Marine Mammal Stranding Team. This new format will allow the Stranding Coordinator to better structure our stranding team by vetting volunteers and making sure team members will be safe in the intense elements of high stress stranding events. Stranding response takes a highly specialized team of dedicated volunteers that are often required to endure extreme temperatures, weather, and be in the presence of zoonotic diseases for extended periods of time. We are looking forward to this first step of a multi-step process of developing safe, educated, and confident respondents.