Annex E. Officer of the Day Guidance

No person may paddle without the presence of the Officer of the Day. The Officer of the Day will be nominated by the most senior representative of the Executive Committee (if present) or by the paddling group. The Officer of the Day may choose to remain on-shore or paddle with the group provided the following responsibilities can be conducted with any late arriving paddlers. Parents and helpers can be appointed as Officer of the Day, provided they are able to apply the following responsibilities:

The Officer of the Day should ensure that:

• Paddlers are in groups that contain suitably experienced coaches/paddlers:
• Paddlers must create groups of at least three.
• Paddlers below BCU 1 Star standard must paddle in groups, supervised by a coach.

Paddlers' equipment is suitable for the conditions

• Clothing must be appropriate for the canoeing conditions (below), including suitable foot protection.
• Spray decks should have a suitable release system fitted.
• Buoyancy aids or lifejackets should always be worn (may be relaxed in pool).
• Helmets should be worn where there is any risk of hitting your head, e.g. white-water, surfing, canoe polo etc.

Conditions are safe to canoe, paying regard to:

• The nature of the water.
• The weather, especially the wind (whether off-shore) and wind-chill.
• The ability of the paddlers.
• Availability of support.
• The condition of equipment (above). Persons wishing to use their own equipment may be prevented from doing so if it is deemed unsafe.

Guidelines for Dealing with an Incident/Accident

In an emergency, paddling should cease and all paddlers must follow the instruction given by the coaches and the Officer of the Day. Paddlers must come off the water until the emergency has been dealt with. Ensure that others on the water are aware of the situation.

• Do not get in the way of the persons dealing with the emergency - assist them if you can.
• Stay calm but act swiftly and observe the situation. Consider whether there is danger of further injuries and take action to minimise or prevent further occurrence.
• Listen to what the injured person is saying.
• Establish who can administer first aid and alert them to the situation. The first-aider should take appropriate action for minor injuries.
• In the event of an injury requiring specialist treatment, call the emergency services.
• Do not move someone with major injuries – wait for the emergency medics.
• Deal with the rest of the group and ensure that they are adequately supervised and do not hinder the emergency procedures. All paddlers must leave the water until the emergency has been dealt with.
• Where possible, contact the injured person's emergency contact / parent / carer.
• Complete an incident/accident report form and submit to the Club's Equipment/ Safety Officer.