Providing Safety Cover for Rowing Races

1. Providing Safety Cover for Rowing Races Tony Marshall British Sub Aqua Club What We Need to Know

2. Introduction • Information: Prior to Event • Information: On the Day • At Finish of Event & Debrief • Observations in Hindsight

3. Prior to Event: First Contact • Event Name: e.g. British Rowing Event Workshop • Date: e.g. Saturday 14th. January 2012 • Location: e.g. Henley Rowing Museum • Contact Details • Organisation / HQ full address, postcode • Organiser’s name, address, telephone numbers, email address • Number of safety boats required

4. Prior to Event: Venue Details • Directions to Venue • Any specific instructions • Parking • Car parking: restrictions? permit required? • Trailer parking: security, proximity to launch site • Launching • Type of slipway: soft/hard, width, length, duration of tide • Positioning and ID of safety boat(s) on course

5. Prior to Event: Event Details • Pre-event briefing time • Early enough for Safety Boats to get on Station on time • Time required on station • Event start and finish times • Safety radios: Collection point / Sign Out • Safety boat licence requirements • e.g. Upper Thames, Environment Agency, Tideway, PLA accreditation

6. Prior to Event: Miscellaneous • Accommodation (if provided / required) • Refreshment Arrangements • Bacon Butties / Lunch Bags / Tea / Coffee • Vouchers / Hospitality Passes • Convenience Breaks • Agree Responsibility of Casualty Boat Recovery • Safety Boat or Event Organiser to manage

7. Prior to Event: Briefing on the Day • Contact Details • Confirm Organiser’s contact mobile telephone no. • Radio Communications • Confirm event radio collection point • Safety channel: specific, or single channel for all traffic • Contact details: Race control / Safety control • VHF channel: Requirement to contact other traffic

8. Prior to Event: Briefing on the Day • Safety Boat Cover Times • Event start and finish times • Cover requirements prior to start / after finish • Number of competitive boats • First Aid Locations • Which organisation, availability of Doctor • Ability to attend to casualty at water’s edge • Course Information • Segmented / zoned river chart, if available • Rowing Clubs, Landmarks • Number and location of all safety boats

9. During the Event • Race information • Instructions to referees, competitors, safety boats • Risk assessments – Wind / Tide / Wash / Other Craft / Debris • Precise location of incident/casualty • Incident reporting • Radio Checks • Regular, hourly checks by Safety Control • Event Radio Network • Close down after safety boats stood down

10. The Role of the Safety Boat • Clear Understanding of What’s Required • Safety Control to Direct Safety Cover • Competence of Safety Boat Crews • Patrolling • Line of Sight between Safety Boat Stations • Response • Incident Severity Grading – Gold/Silver/Bronze • Rescue Management • Priority – Casualty First • Status Reporting – Safety Radio net

11. Post Event: On the Day • Clear Instructions on Stand Down Timing • Handover of Event Equipment e.g. Radio • Debrief • Incident Report Forms • Feedback between Organiser, Competitors and Safety Boats • Administration - Payment

12. Post Event: Observations in Hindsight • Organiser to feedback any relevant comments to Safety Boat • Safety Boat to feedback any relevant comments to Organiser • Follow Up Written Incident Reports • Improvement Suggestions for Future Events

13. Summary • Full Information Prior to Event • Confirm Details on the Day • Debrief and Feedback at End of Event • Follow Up – Improvements & Observations

14. Any Questions? Tony Marshall British Sub Aqua Club