Part 1 - Operational Procedures

1. All ASRA outings must be supervised by an ARA or SARA qualified Coach, who must also be a Committee of the Dee qualified launch driver.

2. It is a pre-condition of ASRA membership that all children will have passed a swimming test (50 metres in light clothing and shoes) and that their parents will have signed a statement to the effect that they understand the nature of the sport and that their children suffer from no undisclosed illnesses. Beware - inhalers used by asthma sufferers may contain forbidden substances. In "taster courses" arranged for Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils all beginners will wear a buoyancy aid.

3. The ASRA Land/Water Training Schedule offers a detailed plan for every outing and it is in the interest of the young athletes that it should be adhered to whenever water conditions permit. The Schedule's carefully phased cyclical approach is the best prophylactic we have against injury and illness.

4. Coaches must know their water - i.e. be aware of local hazards (bridges, shallows, dead water, tides, right of way). Essential knowledge also includes the local weather forecast, the location of ACC life-rings, serviceable telephones and the state of repair and accessibility of the Committee of the Dee safety launches. On the River Dee the KEEP LEFT rule must be observed at all times and by all Crews. Coaches new to the area should not be given sole charge of outings. As a rule, no outings should take place when white water is showing under the Suspension Bridge or when visibility is impaired by fog, haar or smoke. Sudden changes of wind force/direction and/or temperature drops can make the water non-viable for most ASRA Crews. Ergometers are safer and flexibility is after all the hallmark of a good coach. I

5. Prior to outings the competence of Crews to row the craft in question in the prevailing weather conditions must be established. The ability to stop (emergency or otherwise) and turn the boat is essential. Eights are frequently a safer option than smaller boats. Beginners should normally be sandwiched between competent Rowers in Bow and Stroke seats and be wearing lifejackets. Trainee Coxes should always have an experienced rower in the boat. In general beginners should be discouraged from attempting to row Pairs and Doubles. It is however ASRA policy to promote training in Quad Sculls for all children JU15 and below. This keeps us in line with European thinking on child development. The use of Playboats, however desirable, must be closely supervised during first outings.

6. All Crews must go for a warm-up run (normally the Short Bridges) and do stretching exercises prior to outings. Experience has shown that this practice plays a major role in the prevention of injury.

7. Removal of the boat from the rack and launching - at all times using the jetty - must be carefully supervised. Most damage to shells (holes in stateroom and water-tight compartments) is done during this phase, not to mention back injuries! The Cox should see to it that the steering gear is not damaged and also spot obstacles. The Cox should be drilled in the commands to be used in this process (as with all commands when afloat). Idiosyncratic variations from the norm can result in dangerous misunderstandings. A full list of approved commands is to be found here.

   All rowers should wear boots during the launching and remove them prior to taking their seats in the boat. Boats are launched facing upstream and Crews boat Bow man first. The Cox maintains the balance of the craft while the Crew boats by exerting downward pressure on one of the landside riggers. Boats should row through the Queen Elizabeth and Suspension (Wellington) Bridges before contemplating a turning manoeuvre to avoid possible collisions with ABC Crews moving off from their jetty.

8. Before leaving the jetty Cox and Coach are jointly responsible for checking that:

   • the hull has not been damaged during the launching phase.
   • the buoyancy sections are intact and the covers in place.
   • rigger nuts are all tight and that gates are secure.
   • a serviceable bow-ball is in place and secure.
   • heel restraints are in place and in a serviceable state.
   • the Cox is wearing a suitable buoyancy aid and warm clothing. He/she is most at risk from hypothermia.
   • the boat's internal communication system (if present) is serviceable.
   • the Crew have checked that the blade collars are secure.
   • the Crew is warmly dressed (lower backs, heads) and white topped in dusk outings.
   • lights are mounted and working where daylight is fading.

9. Before allowing the boat to leave the jetty the Coach should check that:

   1. the wind and tide conditions can be coped with by the Crew in question and that possible sudden changes are known to Cox and Crew.
   2. the Crew is aware of any exceptional circumstances e.g. debris in flood conditions, stones being thrown from bridges, particularly heavy rowing/canoeing traffic, elite Crews/scullers doing pieces and omitting to keep left.
   3. the training purpose and content of the outing is known to Cox and Crew. e.g. Heavy Week Water Training - kilometres to be covered, ratings to be maintained, rest periods and proportion of technique work in outing.
   4. all members of the Crew are thoroughly conversant with the appropriate course of action in the event of any emergency.
   5. all members of the Crew know where the Duty Coach will be during the outing (e.g. on bicycle/foot on bank/bridge or in Coaching launch)

10. Coaches using the Committee of the Dee launches are expected to wear a buoyancy aid at all times. They too should remove boots which may have been worn when helping Crews boat. A throwing rope and spare life jackets should be carried in the launch. A serviceable megaphone is strongly recommended.

11. Coaches should supervise disembarkation and warming down exercises. The correct disembarkation procedure is as follows:

    • The boat must be facing upstream.
    • The Cox alights first enabling him to steady the boat while the remainder of the Crew disembarks.
    • Disembarkation is carried out in the order Stroke, 3, 2, Bow.
    • Crew members keep their gates CLOSED and blades in position until their turn to disembark to prevent capsizing.

12. Crews should wear boots to remove boats from the water. Here again, attention to lifting skills is essential to avoid back injuries. Macho posturing merely leads to illness and injury. Boats and blades should be thoroughly washed to prevent the corrosive effects of salt water. The Cox should look out for obstacles which might damage boat and/or rowers as the boat is carried into the boathouse and replaced on the rack. Any damage to boat or equipment should be brought to the attention of a Coach immediately. Unreported damage today means potential danger tomorrow.

13. Should the boat be "parked" on trestles or outdoor racks at Water Centres before, after or between outings, the whole crew is responsible for tying it down.

14. The Coach in charge of the Launch shall ensure that the fuel tank is removed and stored in the appointed secure place.

15. Irresponsible behaviour on or off the water will not be tolerated. This includes but is not confined to: standing in the boat, changing seats while emboated, swimming from the boat, all of which activities have from time to time been observed. Any person/crew observed so transgressing will have their membership immediately suspended.

Part 2 - Emergency Procedures

Emergencies occur extremely rarely in our sport, particularly if the operational procedures listed above have been properly observed. Three main scenarios account for the majority of emergencies:

• Collisions with other boats, floating or semi-submerged debris, rocks or bridges resulting in severe structural damage to the boat.
• Ejection of a Crew member or members from the boat either as a result of collision or severe crabbing.
• Capsize as a result of collision or lack of basic competence or panic.

Normally even quite dramatic collisions result only in bent riggers, broken blades and/or minor damage to the shell. The shipping of fairly large quantities of water and severe temporary lack of balance are easily coped with when the Crew quickly and calmly place their blades in the recognised "safety position" as they will have been trained to do from their first outings. Half the Crew will then maintain this position to ensure stability, while the others row the boat to the nearest available shallows. When a Crew member or members land(s) in the water for any of the reasons listed above, they will have been trained to carry out the following sequence of actions:

• Remain calm. Cox should take command.
• On no account abandon the boat or section of the boat plus blades remaining afloat. Together they form a large unsinkable raft.
• Help any Crew member who has become detached or is hurt to get attached.
• Shout for help from duty coach and passers-by
• Get all Crew members onto the river side of the boat and begin to kick together for the shore or shallows.
• Tie any proffered throw-line or life-ring rope to a rigger on the land side of the boat to help rescuers pull the boat in.
• Get to hot showers and warm clothing immediately dry land is reached.
• If the condition of any Crew member(s) gives cause for concern, do not hesitate to summon medical assistance.

In the majority of cases the rescue procedure would be aided by the arrival on the scene of either or both of the Committee of the Dee safety launches, but Crews are expected to be self-reliant.

Coaches are trained in all ARA and SARA courses to recognise and deal with emergency situations involving:

• Hypothermia
• Apparent Drowning

which may or may not be directly linked to the scenarios outlined above.

Hypothermia is defined as the gradual reduction in body temperature due to cold to an extent that the body can no longer compensate. Immersion of body parts in water (e.g. Cox's hands), lack of suitable clothing, long outings with a high wind-chill factor, long analyses by over-enthusiastic coaches on the water, lack of pre-session warm-up can all contribute to the onset of this. Beware particularly the wind chill factor and its dramatic lowering effect on ambient temperatures Symptoms include uncontrollable shivering, slow reactions, impaired speech & vision, and eventual unconsciousness when the body temperature drops to circa 31°C. Treatment: While awaiting medical assistance, get the patient into a space blanket as soon as possible. Administer hot fluids. Gradually heat up the body - hyperaemia is extremely painful. Get a proper medical check-up soonest.

Apparent Drowning: Do not assume death. Go through the recommended ABC process, by checking:

1. Airways for blockage - remove obstacles e.g. seaweed, loose teeth, broken dentures.
2. Breathing.
3. Circulation via carotid pulse in the neck.

Other Injuries: All ASRA coaches have had First Aid training and are capable of arresting bleeding by applying a dry, clean dressing to the wound and exerting hand pressure. In general summon medical assistance immediately and move the patient as little as possible. Coaches driving a patient to Accident & Emergency is not an option in today's litigious social climate. A First Aid Box is available in the Boathouse but contents should be checked regularly to see that supplies of sticking plaster and bandages in particular have not been totally depleted by blister bandits.

Notes:

• ASRA also recognises and adheres to the relevant safety recommendations of the the Scottish Amateur Rowing Association and the Outdoor Education Department of Aberdeen City Council
• All ASRA procedures are subject to periodic review in order to maintain present high standards of rowing safety.

email: asra@steel81.free-online.co.uk, website: www.steel81.free-online.co.uk/asra/