PART II - PATROL OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES

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1 PART II - PATROL OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES A. SCHEDULING 1. The Patrol Schedule - A master schedule of volunteer duty is maintained by the Water Safety Patrol Staff. The volunteer watch schedule is posted in the marina and kept up to date on the WSP Web Site (boat-oars.org). Patrols are scheduled from morning to after sunset on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Supplemental patrols during this period, plus spring and fall, are scheduled as resources permit. Each day s patrol schedule is divided into three patrol watches: Morning , Afternoon , and Evening 1800 to ½ hour after sunset. Crews may optionally sign up for one or two of these patrols on their duty day. Each patrol consists of a Patrol Captain, who is responsible for the proper and safe conduct of the patrol, and one or more crew. On-coming crews are asked to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to their scheduled watch, to check out the boat and equipment and get information needed for the watch. The boat then conducts a number of sorties to different parts of the lake during the watch. 2. Patrol Coordinators (PATCO) - A patrol coordinator is assigned each patrol day to supervise the preparedness and conduct of the patrols. The PATCO reminds volunteers of their weekend watch during the preceding week and is present to assist at the start and completion of each watch and for equipment checkout. Each PATCO will provide oversight, training and recommended certification of crew personnel. (See qualifications list I-C.2) He/she will review and countersign the patrol log reports for appropriateness. The PATCO is the point of contact with LMOA Police and marina personnel for daily operations of the safety patrol. And finally, the PATCO reports equipment deficiencies or work-arounds to the next day s patrol coordinator and files a Boat Defect Report. A guidance document provided for PATCOs is titled Water Patrol Supervisor s Checklist. B. PREPARATIONS FOR PATROL 1. Personal Equipment To Bring It is appropriate to bring: Sun block Liquids & refreshments Personal cell phone Pen/pencil Apparel for protection from sun and rain (see Item I-B.5 for preferred uniform) 2. Don't Bring - Passengers, pets, or unnecessary equipment which could crowd the boat or cause harm. The boat may have to accommodate additional security and rescue personnel and their equipment. Some passengers may be authorized as trainees by contacting your patrol coordinator for authorization. 3. Checking out the boat and its equipment The Boat Equipment and To-do s Lists are on the next page. C. PATROLLING. 1. Getting Underway - Take care to observe procedure for starting and running the engine. Note that shifting to forward or reverse from neutral requires a positive thrust of the controller to prevent gear wear. Learn how to mount the recovery ladder. Learn controls and switches. It's all rather simple, but good to check out beforehand. Lay out your equipment, i.e. throw cushions, toss lines, towline etc. ready for use. Driving away with your fenders hanging over the side marks you as a non-seaman. Have your marker buoy ready to mark a spot on the water in an emergency. Know how to operate the fire extinguishers. Carefully observe no-wake speed in the no-wake areas. Obey boating rules and always follow the traffic pattern. Note that you enter and leave the traffic pattern at a shallow angle and cross it without interfering with other boats. 5

2 2. Where & When to Go Each patrol should conduct a number of sorties from the marina and show up randomly in the many different areas of the lake, moving through certain areas (water skiing) more often. Do not take the patrol boat above Beach 5. Observe water activities and look for possible safety problems. Return to the marina on standby from these tours of the lake for short periods of crew rest, meals, etc. Watch for signs of dehydration, tiring, sunburn and heat problems that sneak up on boaters and patrollers. EQUIPMENT Patrol Boat Check Off List (In addition to boat key, bring items in bold from office to boat and return at the end of the day) 2. Boat cell phone Check its charge before going) 3. Megaphone, air horn and orange bags 4. Life jackets for skipper & crew 5. Extra life jackets and throwable cushions (2) 6. Spot light and binoculars 7. Boat hook & fish scoop net 8. Two anchors & anchor line 9. Tow line, tow straps and extra lines 10. Toss line bags (2) and American flag 11. First aid kit, thermo blankets, cold packs & medical gloves 12. Backboard, spider straps, neck collars and splinting cravats 13. Paddle, tool kit, hand sign (Stop-No Wake) 14. Vinyl protectant, application rags and dry down towels. 15. Clipboard containing log, lake rules, patrol check off list, defect report, handbook & pen TO-DO S Patrol Boat Check Off List 1. Remove and stow boat cover (spread out to dry in marina if wet.) 2. Open Bimini top and stow cover (spread out to dry in marina if wet.) 3. Stow/secure all boat & personal items in designated locations 4. Life jackets on and throwable cushion device near operator s reach 5. Turn on power switch for a battery (3 or 9 o clock position) 6. Turn on/warm up engine. Cooling water tell tale showing? 7. Cell phones/radio functioning? Exchange cell phone numbers. 8. Fuel level OK? (guage & visual check of tank level.) 9. Spotlight, beacon, navigation lights and boat/air horns work? 10. Cover in place for 12v beacon socket or is beacon plugged in? 11. Fire extinguishers (2) present and charged. 12. Note location of marker buoys, line and anchor for quick access. 13. Towline rigged? At end of patrol, cover boat unless wet. Close Bimini for wind protection (secure with bungees if high winds expected overnight). Cover Sunday nights. Apply vinyl protector to seats during the afternoon watch on the last patrol day of the weekend. 6

3 3. Reports - Verbal reports are to be made to PATCO, for the following: a. Start of watch when getting underway b. Location & Operations Normal report hourly c. For Emergencies (See Emergency Section - II-F) Written Reports (Patrol Logs) consist of notations logged on the special form provided. This is an important record. Report the following: Dates, times (start, stop, event), names of patrollers. Counts of boater activity (time and number of boats by activity) these are important for safety planning Boater contacts should have the following information: LMOA decal number Reason for contact Does person in charge have LMOA boater license. Operator name. Disposition (results of contact). All contacts for safety rules should be logged. There is space on the form for a narrative, boxes for LMOA decal number, State Reg.# and boxes to the right of the narrative are for the rule numbers at issue (the numbers are from the rules brochure). Put in remarks: Hindrance to safe navigation e.g. buoys missing, moved or damaged, floating debris in ski runs, fallen trees & floating logs, etc. The log is to be signed by the Captain, countersigned by the Patrol Coordinator and filed at the end of the watch along with any Boat Defect Report. There is a tray in the boat locker for completed forms. 7

4 D. CONTACTS AND ADVISORIES DO NOT stop or interfere with any activity unless a safety violation or problem is observed. Boats are only stopped for a specific advisory purpose. 1. Hailing, Stopping Boats Methodology - Step 1 - attract attention. Step 2 - get within conference distance. More often new boaters don't look back so you best get out ahead, slow down and use your "attention getters" such as (a) your lights & horn (b) your sign that says STOP, (c) waving arms, etc. Be very careful of the onrushing traffic or hindering the boater s course during these maneuvers. Once stopped, look for a convenient way to approach to the vessel's side where you will find the LMOA registration decal and note the number first thing. Get close enough for friendly conversation. Keep an eye on swimming skiers and lines in the water. If a boat fails to stop, remember that there is no way it can get away from you (or the police) should you doggedly pursue, obeying all rules. Asking bystanders, "Whose boat?" is often the fastest chase. Do not create a hazardous situation for yourself, the boat you wish to contact or other boaters on the lake. 2. Introductions and Advisories - Always identify yourself by name and that you are on the Water Safety Patrol. State the reason for the contact and advise of the correct method, rule, or regulation. Have your other crew member record the boat's LMOA decal number and State registration number. Give a copy of the Recreation Rules Brochure if you think it helpful to newcomers. Ask Captain/Operators if they have a LMOA boater s license. When feasible verify that the license is on file in the marina computer. (Help assist and facilitate boaters getting licenses at the marina.) Questions regarding federal, state or LMOA regulations can be answered by your Patrol Coordinator. If a problem situation arises, ask the PATCO to notify security for assistance. Arguments and confrontation shall be avoided. Remember, you are in an advisory position only. QUICK REFERENCE FOR KEY VA/LAKE SAFETY RULES The LMOA Rules brochure is your primary reference. Have sufficient copies to hand out to boaters and one on board for reference. If you make an advisory, enter the rule number (s) in the log. These are the typical advisories to watch for. Each boat must have a PFD for everyone and they must be the right size Boat operator must have a throwable within reach No riding on the bow, gunwales or transom Turn off engine when swimmers board or drop off Don't follow a skier or tuber too closely or directly behind Watch for overloading (per capacity plate) - watch for pontoon very low in water as indication of overloading No wake speed within 50ft of docks or people in water Obey swim area buoys (No Boats) and cove "No Wake" signs Give right of way to sail or manually propelled boats Don't swamp small boats. It's not nice and you re responsible for your wake. Have an orange flag for person in the water ( if they don't have one give them an orange bag and tell them to buy one at the Marina) Slow speed (5mph) after sunset Follow the counter-clockwise traffic pattern Must have a responsible observer for water skiers or when towing tubes, etc. Towed person must wear PFD (USCG certified impact jacket) Multiple tows need equal length lines Kayaks, canoes and paddle boards must have life vest(s) aboard No swimming more than 50ft from property Swim at beaches within the roped area. Navigation lights on after dark (docking lights are only for docking) Only OK to swim off boats in Adams, Monroe, Jackson and Van Buren coves - nowhere in lake. Fly orange flag from boat. 8

5 E COMMUNICATIONS ON PATROL 1. Your most important PATROL mission is to maintain communications! 1. Become familiar with boat cell phone operation. At start of patrol, check that it is charged. Exchange skipper, crew and PATCO s personal phone numbers and check that the day s patrol schedule posted next to the door of the store room at the marina agrees with these numbers. Remind marina staff that these posted numbers are applicable to your patrol. While patrolling keep the phones close to hear them over the engine noise. 2. If communications are lost, your ability to meet the primary mission of calling for help is over. Return immediately to the marina and correct the problem. TABLE OF CALLING STATIONS Unit: Patrol Coordinator (police radio) Patrol Boat, LMOA Marina Phone: PATCO Cell-phone LMOA Security (Main Gate) LMOA Police Call Security F. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES 1. Your Patrol Responsibility - Patrol captains are responsible for the safety of their crew and passengers and may, while on patrol, be first on scene of an emergent event. You should be prepared to alert authorities to this occurrence. Boat crews are responsible to assist the captain by accordant action and advice. All patrol crews are expected to be capable of and practice the following: (a) Own team protection. First and foremost your own boat s safety is something you should be prepared for. Practice the man over board maneuver and insure your crew knows what to do to recover a person from the water. All crew should monitor each other for heat exhaustion, hypothermia or just plain not feeling well such that the patrol perhaps should not proceed. Please, prepare and prevent possible injuries. (b) Observe, call for appropriate help, brief the situation and document an incident. Boating safety on the lake is your primary mission and we ask you to actively cover the lake with a series of sorties to insure coverage of the entire lake. Be alert and check out potential unsafe activity. In the event of an emergency event, alert response authorities. Be prepared to describe the situation, location, number of people involved, nature of injuries if any and make recommendation. Call security at the main gate or if you determine the need call the dispatcher (911) and advise. (Note the lake police on patrol monitor the county dispatcher s channel.) (c) Know how to mark a datum (location of incident). Take note of the location by identifying two objects that line up as a range line or other references that could possibly used in the event a search is needed. Your patrol boat has a number of quickly deployable buoys that can be deployed as datum marks for a search. 9

6 2. You can do more to help if capable. Your patrol boat has a backboard, first aid kit cold packs, thermo blankets, etc. appropriate for first aid trained personnel. Check their location for potential use. AED s are carried by the Lake Police patrol cars. If you have medical training you are authorized to assist to the limit of your qualification. All reasonable help is valued as Good Samaritan help and you re protected by the Virginia law of the same name. The Water Safety Patrol solicits First Aid and AED classroom training for members and a number of our members have taken advantage of this. We plan to continue classroom instruction plus demonstrations and drills to enhance our abilities at first-on-scene occurrences. It is recognized that not all volunteer members will have this additional training. Notations of training accomplished will be maintained in the WSP member data base. The scenarios below all require timely and accurate notification to emergency response (911) as per F 1(b) above. See also the quick call info prompt form in the box at right) These scenarios also call for your further action if you are able. (1). A reported missing person last seen on shore. After calling remain with the reporting party until response arrives. Document additional details on missing person and their activity. (2) A reported missing person last seen on the water. After calling, remain on station with and identify who last saw the person missing as above. Attempt to identify last seen location and mark it with a buoy. Document additional details about the missing person and activity. (3) A person or persons in the water needing help. After calling in details, state action being taken. Attempt lifeline help and recovery from the water. Apply first aid to stabilize patients for medic arrival. Predominantly, water is the factor that makes water sport injuries more serious. Hence practicing and learning techniques to recover person from the water is important, moreover recovering an injured person from the water is a difficult task even with the proper equipment needed to keep the patient stabilized and brought aboard such as the Stokes litters carried by Lake Water Rescue. WSP hopes to conduct more demonstrations in these techniques jointly with the Lake s emergency professionals. (4) Person on boat needing help. Evaluate situation and call for help as needed. If injured, evaluate and provide aid if capable and advise medic responders of situation on their arrival. Evaluate boat situation and possible remedies such as towing. If in any scenario above, a person is injured, sick or not breathing your first aide actions are the only remedy until help arrives. PROMPT FOR 911 CALL 1. I am on scene of an emergency My name is 2. Situation description. - Describe & indicate need for response Fire, Rescue, Water Rescue, Police. 3. Location Description of boat to look for Note: Typical locations to meet the ambulance are Marina, Beach 3 and Main beach - If the ambulance is to come to the scene then check our map in the Lake Rules brochure and give the name of the nearest street. 4. Person or number of persons in distress and their situation. 5. Action being taken or planned. Call back number. 10