Operational Plan & Safety Management Plan

RFDS Operation Pelican Inc.  Flying Doctor Rowathon

September 10, 2022

Operational Plan

AIM 

The aim of this event is to ensure the safe, enjoyable and environmentally responsible behaviour of all waterborne personnel involved with the Rowing Marathon.

Organisations involved

St John’s Ambulance Mildura

R.F.D.S Operation Pelican Inc

Wentworth District Rowing Club 

There will be a number of Support Vehicles following the crews with UHF Radios and also Mobile Phones.

Program for the day 

Date:                                         10th September, 2022

Starting Time:                             7.00am

Starting Location:                      Apex Park, Mildura

Crews will start from Apex Park, Mildura and row downstream to Coomealla Golf Club landing for morning tea, then row down the Murray and up the Darling River to Wentworth District Rowing Club for a lunch stop. Following lunch, crews will row up the Darling River to the 8Km sign, turn and row back to WDRC and finish. Five motor boats will follow groups of crews as they row the course as support.

         Finishing Location:                Wentworth District Rowing Club

R.F.D.S. Operation Pelican Inc. will record crews departing at the start, and will also check boats in and out at morning tea, lunch, and also at the finish line.

Safety Management

The RFDS Operation Pelican committee will coordinate:

Ø                       Communications

Ø                       Support Crew Responsibility

Ø                      Mildura St John’s Ambulance first aid will be stationed on the river to access Ambulance and other necessary support crews – St John’s Ambulance

contact is Renee 0408 101 881

 All communications to ambulance and police will be managed by St John’s Ambulance

Wentworth District Rowing Club – 5 power boats, 1/2 people per boat

We expect to have approx. 26 rowing boats and will start boats at approx 30 second intervals with a 1 minute gap after each 5 boats and our aim is for each group of 5 boats to have a support boat and to monitor each other’s progress. All coxes will have a copy of the relevant Murray and Darling River Charts to guide them along the rivers. They will also be briefed before the start to ensure all understand the safety plan including communication and emergency access points.

SAFETY ACCESS POINTS FOR TRANSPORT 

AMBULANCE 000

Wentworth Ambulance will have details of the rowing course and they   are aware of access points along both rivers.

Murray River:-

Ranfurly Way                                      Mildura

Red Gum Track – various access points Merbein

Silver City Hwy                            Curlwaa

Laza Way House Boats              Coomealla

Coomealla Golf Club                  Coomealla

Darling River:-

Wentworth Rowing Club               Wentworth

Sturt Hwy                                       Wentworth

Organisers, Support Crews, On Land and Participants on the River will have Radio and mobile phone communication for the Entire Course.

For help call St John’s Ambulance – Renee 0408 101 881

Any Further Information Please contact Sam Cross on 0408 596 390 or Bob Symons on 0412 256 344

Any Further Information please contact Sam Cross on 0408 596 390 or 

Bob Symons on 0412    256 344 

SAFETY MANAGEMENT PLAN

The document below has the RFDS Operation Pelican Inc. Safety Management Plan in the format as issued by Rowing Victoria. This was updated in August 2022.