ORIENTEERING QUEENSLAND
SEARCH,
RESCUE,
MEDICAL
and
SAFETY
PROCEDURES
Mountain Bike Orienteering Events at Maryborough
Monday 29 September - Wednesday 1 October 2008
Event Program
General
Queensland Orienteering (OQ) is presenting the Australian Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships from Monday 29th September to Wednesday 1st October 2008. The events will be held in the Tuan State Forest, south east of Maryborough.
OQ will have a small group of non-competing persons at each event. In addition other members will be on hand at various times carrying out allocated duties in the areas of Set Up and Pull Down, Registration, Starts, Finish, Parking, Assembly and Movements.
OQ gratefully acknowledges the assistance rendered by its members, the various emergency services and other volunteer workers.
The events are major competition events.
Normal starts will commence at 0830 hours. Some workers from the various groups will start up to 1 hour earlier than the normal start times. Daily course closures will be at 3pm for day 1 (Event 1), 5pm for day 2 (Event 2 & 3) and 2pm for day 3 (Event 4). It is expected that participants who have not finished their course by this time will abandon their attempts and return promptly to the Finish tent.
Competitor starts and finishes will be managed with the assistance of computers. All starters will be recorded, leaving the start line and crossing the finish line. The computer is capable of generating data on the number of persons remaining in the field. See section 11 for details on search procedures for missing persons.
Events
Mon 29 Sep Event 1 - Model event
Tue 30 Sep Event 2 -Middle and Event 3 -Sprint Distance Championships
Wed 1 Oct Event 4 - Long Distance Championships
Participants
There are 95 competitors registered. 20 spectators and 10 volunteers are also expected.
Orienteering is a recognised family sport and as a result competition is arranged on age and gender classes. Age classes vary from 14 years to the upper level of 80 years.
The majority of participants will travel to the events sites by motor car.
Weather
The expected weather conditions for the events period is:-
Sunrise and Sunset is anticipated as follows:
Sunrise 0520 hours
Sunset 1745 hours
Temperatures in the range of:
Maximum 26 degrees
Sunset 12 degrees
Chance of adverse Rainfall/Electrical storms: 5%
Ultraviolet Levels: Moderate to High
First Aid/Medical Arrangements
OQ has several medical practitioners and physiotherapists who will be competing in the events and will be able to assist in emergencies. However, it is possible that at certain times, all could be unavailable for a short period.
A comprehensive first aid kit, folding stretcher and splints will be available at each event. A utility, fitted with a radio base station, has been nominated as a recovery vehicle if required. Ice will be available in the assembly area each day
The Queensland Ambulance Service at Maryborough has been advised of the event.
Likely injuries sustained during orienteering are as follows:
● Cuts and abrasions
● Heat exhaustion, sunburn, hypothermia
● Fractures (ankle, arm, wrist, collarbone)
● Insect bites
Standard Safety Procedures
All riders must wear approved safety helmets.
No persons are permitted to enter the competition area without the authorisation of the Event Organiser, the Event Controller, or his delegate.
Competitors are advised to carry whistles and the standard emergency signal is six whistle blasts at one-second intervals. Any competitor hearing this signal or encountering a fellow competitor in distress is required to abandon their course and render appropriate assistance.
The Event Organiser will maintain a written record of information received and action taken in relation to safety incidents and accidents. These records will be made available to the Queensland Police Service should a full-scale search under their control be required. Copies will also be sent to OQ.
OQ Emergency Equipment
In addition to the equipment and medical supplies at each event, the Event Organiser will have the following items also available:
- At least two torches suitable for use in the bush at night
- CB radios for close communications
- A UHF radio from Forestry Plantations Queensland switched to their frequency
- A hand held bull horn for emergency signals
- Maps of each course, a copy of the master map and an overview map of the complete area
Communications and Contacts
Mobile phone communications are possible from the assembly area and throughout much of the competition area.
The organisers will have available at each event a number of UHF hand held radios, for communication between event officials and for use in an emergency situation. A radio net diagram is to be prepared so that everyone involved is aware of who is on the net.
If required to assist, all emergency services will operate on their own respective communication channels for Incident Control.
Maryborough Emergency Contacts
Police 4123 8111
Ambulance 000
Fire Brigade 000
Hospital 4122 8222
Medical Centre 4123 3133
Maryborough Stakeholder List
Queensland Police Service - Maryborough
Queensland Ambulance Service - Maryborough
Forestry Plantations QLD - Toolara
Event Organiser
Event Controller
Carnival coordinator
EVENT NOTES
Event 1 – Monday 29 September
Model – Australian Championships
Map name Little Bit MTBO
Property name Tuan State Forest
Land Owner Forestry Plantations Qld
Location ESE of Maryborough
Distance from Maryborough 21km – approx. 14 mins
Number of competitors 95
Approx number of vehicles 50
Parking Off road
First Starts 1pm
Last Starts 2pm
Course closure 3pm
First aid First aid kit only
Event Organiser Dr Murray Haines
Emergency number 0428 454 096
Mobile Phone reception Assembly area OK
Event 2 - Tuesday 30th September
Australian Middle Distance Championships
Map name Tuan
Property name Tuan State Forest
Land Owner Forestry Plantations Qld
Location ESE of Maryborough
Distance from Maryborough 21km – approx. 14 mins
Number of competitors 95
Approx number of vehicles 50
Parking Off road
First Starts 7.30am
Last Starts 9.15am
Course closure 1.00pm
First aid First aid kit only
Event Organiser Dr Murray Haines
Emergency number 0428 454 096
Mobile Phone reception Assembly area OK
Event 3 - Tuesday 30th September
Australian Sprint Distance Championships
Map name Boonaroo
Property name Tuan State Forest
Land Owner Forestry Plantations Qld
Location ESE of Maryborough
Distance from Maryborough 21km – approx. 14 mins
Number of competitors 95
Approx number of vehicles 50
Parking Off road
First Starts 2.00pm
Last Starts 3.00pm
Course closure 5.00pm
First aid First aid kit only
Event Organiser Dr Murray Haines
Emergency number 0428 454 096
Mobile Phone reception Assembly area OK
Event 4 - Wednesday 1st October
Australian Long Distance Championships
Map name Tallegalla
Property name Tuan State Forest
Land Owner Forestry Plantations Qld
Location ESE of Maryborough
Distance from Maryborough 21km - approx. 14 mins
Number of competitors 95
Approx number of vehicles 50
Parking Off road
First Starts 7.30am
Last Starts 10.00am
Course closure 2.00pm
First aid First aid kit only
Event Organiser Dr Murray Haines
Emergency number 0428 454 096
Mobile Phone reception Assembly area OK
Event Location Maps
Location Number Date
1 Event 1 Mon 29 Sept
2 Event 2 Tue 30 Sept
3 Event 3 Tue 30 Sept
4 Event 4 Wed 1 Oct
Rescue Procedures
Scope: Report of competitor requiring medical assistance
Pre-rescue
Event Organiser receives report and initiates Incident Report Sheet
Event Organiser engages on site medical staff
Rescue personnel and equipment identified and assembled
Briefing
Event Organiser appoints rescue team leader, briefs leader and other team members
Details to be covered:
- Information relevant to person requiring assistance
- Location of person
- Command and communication system
- Allocated time for recovery
- Any special instructions
Medical Assistance
If necessary, the Event Organiser will arrange for a doctor to be on hand for the anticipated return of the rescue team
Debriefing
The Event Organiser obtains further relevant information from person who required assistance, rescue team leader and medical staff
The Event Organiser records details thus far and assists in arrangements for further assistance for the recovered person. This assistance may be arranging for a Queensland Ambulance Service vehicle to convey the person to a doctor’s surgery or hospital, notifying the hospital’s Emergency Department in advance.
Search Procedures
Scope: Report of a missing competitor
Pre-search
The Event Organiser receives report of overdue competitor or obtains details from Finish Team Manager at course closure time
The Event Organiser initiates progressive Incident Report and Missing Persons information sheets
The Event Organiser checks with the Event Controller re details of competitor re actual start time etc
The Event Organiser checks with family/traveling companions regarding details relating to the missing person
The Event organiser makes enquiries made from remaining competitors and event team members
All vehicles remaining at Assembly Area checked and their owners identified by register obtained at registration.
The Event Organiser determines personnel required and plans search
Search personnel identified and assembled
Search Briefing
The Event Organiser appoints search team leader, briefs leader and other team members
Details to be covered:
· Information relevant to person missing
· Potential course taken by missing competitor
· Command and communication system
· Allocated time for recovery
· Any special instructions
Debriefing
The Event Organiser obtains further relevant information from missing person, and search team leader and records details thus far and assists in arrangements for further assistance to the missing person and their family.
In the Event of Fire
Once notified of a fire threat, which could cause the abandonment of the event, the Event Organiser will;
1 Send out any available person to a point on the map where riders might be encountered, such as a control point, track junction or a water point, to inform riders to abandon their course and return to the assembly area as quickly as possible. Each official is to be given a hand held UHF device, with a radio diagram network through which they may re-direct their calls.
2 Remain in contact with the Forestry Plantation Fire Warden, using the supplied UHF radio.
3 Send out a vehicle to drive the highest points of the course and sound the fire alarm, using a hand held bull horn. On hearing this signal, all riders are to abandon their course and return to the assembly area as quickly as possible.
4 Warn all riders about the emergency procedures in the event program.
Crossing of Major Roads
The competition area has a network of major roads which are used daily by private logging contractors to move trees from the forest to the Tuan Sawmill. (refer to location map)
The major roads that they are using on any particular day may vary, but the frequency of trucks on the road can be as high as 1 vehicle every 3 minutes. As such they pose a serious hazard to unaware cycle riders.
The Event Organiser is to ensure that the routes to the start of each event avoid riding along any major road being used by logging trucks. If unknown, the Event Organiser should contact the Operations Officer at Toolara Forestry Station on 54882112, and ascertain details of roads to be avoided. The Operations Officer should be asked to advise the logging contractors and other Forestry workers that a mountain bike event is taking place and provide them with times and a contact phone if necessary.
At each crossing point of a major road, the Event Organiser is to place a sign which warns riders of the upcoming road and to take care when crossing the road. This to take place on tracks leading to the start and out on the course itself. This information is to be repeated in the Event Program and at each pre-start briefing.
Each designated road crossing point is to be marked with large orange witches hats.
The Event Organiser is to arrange the placement of large signs on all major roads, which warn other road users that bicycles maybe encountered on the road.
All warning signs should be removed at the end of the event.