LBC Safety Manual for on Water Activities October 2016 LBC safety manual October 2016 INTRODUCTION This Lagoon Boat Club (LBC)) Safety Manual provides assistance to Club members managing races and incidents relating to boating safety and emergencies. Incidents covered may involve boating, personal safety, Search and Rescue (SAR) or a combination of all of these. This Safety Manual is not a substitute for common sense or crisis management. All personnel should read the document as part of their preparation to familiarise themselves with the process of carrying out emergency procedures. Peak Safety Authority for Water Based Incidents The Victoria Water Police have prime responsibility for boating on Port Phillip. Other agencies including the Volunteer Coastguard will act under the direction of the Victoria Water Police The Victoria Water Police Squad is the State Search and Rescue Authority for Victoria, under the National Search and Rescue Agreement between the Federal Government and the various State Governments. Club Racing Events LBC racing events are run on Thursdays (Twilights) and Saturdays. LBC does not provide any rescue facilities in the form of rescue boats or otherwise. Consequently, a degree of self-sufficiency is required of all competitors when racing. All entrants must have indicated their compliance with the safety equipment checklist and have completed the current Declaration of Compliance.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES All on-water emergency activity is to be coordinated through the Principal boat involved in the first instance. Details of all calls relating to an emergency situation received by LBC members must be either recorded in the Radio Communication Log, a copy of which is included in this Safety Manual, or on a digital voice recorder. Digital recording is encouraged and is more practical in an emergency situation. Many smart phones have digital recorders. At the commencement of each recording, note the time and date in the recording. Radio Calling Sending a MAY DAY -Emergency This signal indicates that that the vessel or person using it is threatened by grave and imminent danger and requests immediate assistance. The distress signal must not be used under any other circumstances, eg a medical emergency. Please refer to Marine Radio Operators Handbook for correct procedures. Sending a PAN PAN The urgency Signal consists of the words PAN PAN. It has priority over all other communications except those concerned with distress. Use of the urgency signal indicates that the station sending it has a very urgent message to transmit concerning the safety of the vessel, or the safety of a person refer to Marine Radio Operators Handbook- Australian Communications Authority Receiving a MAYDAY call or PAN PAN call via radio or telephone Please refer to Marine Radio Operators Handbook for correct procedures. Note: LBC may assist in a distress (MAYDAY) or Urgency Call (PAN PAN) however it is the Water Police and /or Coast Radio Melbourne who will be the one(s) that will play the lead role in these situations. The station (boat) in distress will be contacted by the Water Police or Coast Radio Melbourne - usually via VHF radio. Wait about 5 to10 seconds before responding in case a more appropriate authority responds. Now relax! No one will be concerned that your radio protocol is not perfect. Quiet calm assistance and concentration is far more important than radio protocol. Make notes as you go; 1) Confirm with the caller the transmission is received e.g.: MAYDAY (Caller, Caller, Caller) This is (Your call sign X 3) Received MAYDAY
2) Record the calling vessel s AND the distressed vessel s (if different to the calling vessel) name call sign sail number boat number location Determine if the nature of the situation is medical, rescue or assistance. Maintain contact via radio or telephone. Establish the vessel s position and document it. Illness / Injury The LBC member(ro) who receives a radio report of illness or injury on a boat competing in a LBC event should once the nature of the illness or injury has been determined: Determine if an ambulance is required and if attendance is requested at the vessel or if the vessel is able to make the nearest port. See below for table of Beach Marker locations) If an ambulance is NOT required, determine the nature of support requested. At first contact with an incident in which there is an injury, the RO should obtain a mobile number of someone on the boat in difficulties. This is the first thing the ambulance officer will ask for once the RO has contacted them so they can find out directly from the vessel what is required. The RO should endeavour to find out the following information: What is a mobile number of someone near the patient and who will remain with him/her? How far is the boat from LBC? What is the nature of the injury What is the patient's name, age and gender? Is the patient in the water? Is the patient conscious? Is the patient breathing? Is the patient coherent? Can the patient communicate with his or her crew? What treatment has been rendered so far? How will the patient be moved to the LBC Jetty or other marine facility? If the vessel requires a rescue boat, call Victoria Water Police on 9399 500 or 000 or VHF 16 If the vessel is making its way to port, determine where the landing location will be. See attached table of ESTA Beach Markers to provide exact meeting locations for emergency services. Note: the closest ESTA marker to LBC is BM0B. Advise the caller if an ambulance is being called and request they maintain a listening watch on the
channel called. If calling via telephone, take their number, request they stand by the telephone and keep the line free for emergency contact. The RO will call Metropolitan Ambulance Victoria on 000, advise them of: the nature of the illness or injury where the patient will be landed (See Beach Marker table below) by what method (Rescue boat / Water Police / Boat Name) and estimated time Rescue / Assistance Determine the nature of assistance required. If a vessel is in danger of sinking or has sunk, try to obtain a position and identification from the caller. Call for nearby vessel assistance. Determine the number of crew members involved and their status. Victorian Water Police should be called on (03) 9399 500 or 000 or VHF Channel 16 and provide them with the situation details Advise the calling station of the arrangements made and pass on any instructions. Maintain contact via radio or telephone. Request the telephone operator on the vessel in trouble to keep the phone line available only for emergency contact. Missing Persons / Missing Boats / Man Overboard (MOB) In the case of a missing person / boat or man overboard (MOB), rescue coordination must be transferred to the Victoria Water Police on (03) 9399 500 or 000 or VHF Channel 16. LBC members should continue to assist and participate in all ways possible and as requested by Victorian Water Police. Towing In an emergency situation the priority is to save life, not boats. Drifting or anchored boats can be picked up later. Owners may organise towing at their own risk. In an emergency, Victorian Water Police may attend to towing needs and coordinate assistance otherwise if the circumstances warrant. Handover to Victoria Water Police Water Police should be contacted in all cases where a MAYDAY or PAN distress call has been received and where serious injury occurs or a person is missing overboard. All emergency assistance requests should be passed on to the Victoria Water Police if they decree. They may request LBC Members to continue participation at any level in any incident. Pass on all relevant information obtained. When passing information on to Victoria Water Police, pay particular attention to the number of Persons on Board (POB), the location and medical facilities required.
Vessel operators involved in an accident must give assistance to other persons involved without seriously endangering their own vessel, crew or passengers. They must give their name, address and identification to any person injured or his/her representative and to the owner of any property damaged (MSV Safety Handbook 2009) ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS Attention is drawn to YA Racing Rules of Sailing 2013-2016 Fundamental Rule 4 The responsibility for a boat s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone. Weather Forecast The Race Controller(RC - Normally the Vice Commodore or his/her nominee) of the day should obtain the latest possible Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) weather forecast and wind strength report on the day of the race. The weather forecast and wind strength reports are critical tools for decision making on race day in order to determine which course should be run, what direction, distance and duration, possible need to shorten a race or the need to abandon the race for the day. Reference can be made to the forecast for Port Phillip. An additional reference can be made to the Corio #9 website http://www.regionalchannels.vic.gov.au/index.php/quick-links/tide-gauges The current bay weather forecast is available at: http://www.bom.gov.au Shortening Course It is the decision of the RC to shorten the course. This decision should be based on existing and forecast weather conditions, with due regard to time limits on races where time limits are specified in the pre race briefing. Race Abandonment It is the decision of the RC to abandon a race or event. This decision should be based on existing and forecast weather conditions. Race abandonment may be decided prior to the start of a race, or when necessary, be decided during the race. A guide for Race Abandonment Sea state should also be taken into account when making an assessment whether to abandon a race. As a guide, winds of more than 25 knots with an increasing trend should lead to race abandonment. Radio monitoring When setting a course that either crosses, or is in the vicinity of the shipping channel, competitors should be reminded to monitor VHF channel 12 for shipping movements
After the start all competitors should, as recommended in the Sailing Instructions, also monitor VHF Channel 16 for emergency monitoring and calling. Ideally, competitors should dual watch VHF Channel 16 as well as the Club's working channel 2. Wearing of Personal Flotation Device (PFD) LBC strongly recommends that a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) be worn by all crew members while participating in Club events in strong winds, during the hours of darkness or at other times of heightened risk (as defined in Victorian Marine Safety regulations). This recommendation is the responsibility of the owner / skipper to enforce. LBC reminds participants of the Victorian Marine Safety legislation that requires all crew sailing boats not fitted with lifelines to wear a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) at all times. BASIC FIRST AID PRINCIPLES FOR EMERGENCIES Boats or crew requesting basic first aid advice should be referred to their boat first aid manual in the first instance. If the situation arises that a first aid manual is not available on the boat requesting advice, then advice can be read from the first aid manual that is carried on another member s boat.
EMERGENCY RADIO COMMUNICATION LOG LAGOON BOAT CLUB EMERGENCY RADIO COMMUNICATION LOG SHEET Date..... Time....hrs. COMMUNICATION TYPE HF VHF 2mhz Mobile Ph YACHT DETAILS Name... Sail Number... Call Sign..... Mobile Phone #:. SUMMARY OF COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED AND SENT...................
........... Table of Emergency Beach Markers copied from ESTA Database: MK No Road Town Description Lat S Lon E BM 0B FORESHORE RD CORIO PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO LIMEBURNERS LAGOON READILY AVAILBALE FROM ADJACENT CARPARK BM 69B FORESHORE RD CORIO BOAT ACCESS AVAILABLE VIA PRIVATE BOAT RAMP AT THE LAGOON BOAT CLUB BM 68B FORESHORE RD CORIO BOAT AND VEHICULAR ACCESS AVAILABLE 38.009 3 38.035 144.406 2 144.398 2 38.051 144.392 8 BM 2B FORESHORE RD AVALON BOAT AND VEHICULAR ACCESS 38.0845 144.424 BM 5B GRILLS RD POINT WILSON ACCESS GATE VIA BEACH ROAD,RESTRICTED ACCESS 38.0385 5 BM 64B BAY WLK NORTH PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO BEACH 38.1012 SHORE VIA STEEP GRAVEL PATHWAY 3 BM 61B MACKEY ST NORTH 4M LEVEL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 38.1160 GEELONG CARPARK AND WATER,STEP 5 LADDER ACCESS AVAILABLE ON MOORING JETTIES BM 60B SWINBURNE ST NORTH ST HELENS VEHICULAR AND 38.1202 GEELONG BOAT ACCESS AVAILABLE 1 BM 54B EASTERN RD GEELONG VEHICULAR ACCESS TO PIER 38.1444 BEACH BM 55B WESTERN RD GEELONG 1.5M DROP FROM PROMENADE 38.1418 FORESHORE TO WATER LEVEL 6 BM 53B RITCHIE BLV GEELONG Royal Geelong 38.1454 D 2 144.542 5 144.31 6 144.359 144.359 5 144.365 1 144.36 144.36 1
BM 50B HEARNE PDE EAST GEELONG Limeburners Point BOAT LAUNCHING RAMP 38.143 BM 46B PT HENRY RD MOOLAP Point Henry 38.129 9 Source: ESTA.vic.gov.au These coordinates were copied from the ESTA database and LBC accepts no responsibility for their accuracy or otherwise. 144.384 144.426