Operational Plan & Safety Management Plan
Operational Plan will be updated close to the Rowathon Day
RFDS Operation Pelican Inc. Flying Doctor Rowathon
September 9, 2023
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: 9th September, 2023
Starting Time: 7.00am
Starting Location: Avoca Station on the Darling River
Starting on the Darling River at Avoca Station (52km marker) crews will row downstream to a private property (22km marker) for morning tea then row to Wentworth District Rowing Club, Wentworth, for lunch. After lunch they will pass through lock 10 and row down the Murray to Fort Courage (804km marker) where they will finish. 4-5 power boats will follow crews.
Finishing Location: Fort Courage, 804 km river marker
At Fort Courage, boats will be loaded on to trailers and transported back to 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 TBA
All communications to ambulance and police will be managed by St John’s Ambulance
Wentworth District Rowing Club will have 4-5 motor boats, 1-2 people per boat.
We expect to have approx. 25-30 rowing boats and will start boats at approx 30 second intervals with a 1 minute gap after each 5-6 row boats and our aim is for each group of 5-6 row boats to have a support motor boat and to monitor each other’s progress.
All coxes will have a copy of the relevant Darling and Murray River Charts to guide them along the rivers as well as safety notes. 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.
Darling River:-
Tapio Station Wentworth – Pooncarie Rd
Netherby Station Wentworth – Pooncarie Rd
G.Hills Property Pomona – Lower Darling Rd
Pomona boat ramp Pomona – Lower Darling Rd
Wentworth Rowing Club Wentworth
Murray River:-
Lock 10 Wentworth
Fort Courage Nulla Rd, Wentworth
St John’s Ambulance and motor boats on the river will have short wave radio and mobile phone communication for the entire course. Organisers and land based support will have mobile contact at each of the stop points.
For help call St John’s Ambulance – TBA
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.