Mayday!

I'm back! Posts may be short for a little while while I sort out some stuff. Back to your usual programming...

When working in the field, we used a code to call for help if we didn't want the world to know we had a problem. We mainly used this for large, complex projects where we had field staff all over the place and could expect interested parties to show up at any time. This was used especially if we were using open-frequency radios to keep in contact.

If the drill rig springs a leak, or a news crew shows up, or a concerned citizen starts asking for information that might be sensitive, it’s easy enough to kick it up to the field manager by calling with the secret code. The code can vary, but what I’ve often used is some variant of “can you bring over a form number [random number] when you get the chance?” That way, you save face with the reporter/citizen/whoever because it’s not obvious you’re looking for help.