Medical &
Safety
Safety / Emergency Assistance
Safety is of paramount imprtoance to Head fo the Yarra organisers.
In your race pack all crews will be provided with an emergency contact card. It is recomended that this card be carried on a crew member during the race. Crews may wish to carry a mobile phone with them for use in an emergency to make contact with one of these emergency contacts. It is requested that unless serious and / or life threatening injury occurs, participants are to use the medical assistance provided by Head of the Yarra in the first instance. If an ambulance is required the medical officers or race marshals are easily able to do this providing an exact location.
Medical Doctors’ and St John Ambulance Officers’ will be at the finish to provide medical assistance and to render first aid. In case of serious emergency arrangements have been made for MICA Ambulance to have ready access at a number of points along the course.
- WESLEY CORNERBIG BEND AT BURNLEY/LOY’S CORNER
- FAIRVIEW PARK VIEWING SCOTCH & LEONDA STRAIGHTS
Safety/Support Boat crews readily able assist with minor first-aid needs will be positioned at:
- BIG BEND AT BURNLEY/LOY’S CORNER
- SCOTCH COLLEGE LANDING
- LEONDA LANDING
The course plan showing safety support boat positions is available here.
The Safety/Support Boat crews will also carry supplies of chilled water in case of need. Any Umpire or Safety Boat Official is available to assist in any emergency. All race Officials and Umpires are briefed on emergency procedures.
Minimising risk of dehydration:
- Stay in the shade for as long as possible.
- Use the "coolgardie" effect to keep cool: wet your cap and hair and if it is really hot even your rowing gear.
- As the event can mean up to an hour on the water for most crews, fluid replacement should be at a level of up to one litre for the average rower: this can be achieved slowly over the half hour prior to getting on the water and by taking fluids into the boat to drink during the pre-race manoeuvring.
- Carbohydrate intake can be achieved by using a fluid with a 4-6% carbohydrate content.
- Keep some fluid to drink at the finish as you wait to come to come to the staging.
- Alcoholic drinks are not effective as fluid replacement.
- Contact one of the safety support / boats for extra fluids