Safety Officer: Elizabeth Tynan

We have established a Safety Program to help insure a safe and enjoyable event for everyone. The Safety Program puts in place a set of practical safety rules to be followed during the event and has clear procedures to be used in the event of an emergency.

Part One of the Safety Program is focused on team preparedness and communication. It's important that teams understand that they are ultimately responsible for the health and safety of their members.

Part Two of the Safety Program is focused on how information is communicated from the teams to the event's communication center and to local authorities in the event of an emergency. An "Emergency Plan" is discussed in the event of lost communication between the racing paddlers and the event's communication center.

Part One

The following outlines the safety requirements for team members, support land vehicle, motorized support water-craft and racing boat.

Members:

- Anyone assisting a team during this charity event is considered a "Team Member" and must be at least 18 years of age by May 5th, 2001, or at least 16 years of age by May 5th, 2001 if accompanied by their parent or legal guardian. Proof of age (a photocopy of a valid driver's license or passport) must accompany the team member's application. (Note that the parent or legal guardian must sign the libality waiver for the 16 or 17 year old.)
- Designated and alternate paddlers must have a physical examination by a certified medical doctor within one year of the race. The doctor shall provide a simple letter indicating that the paddler is in good enough health to compete in this strenuous event.
- All members must follow local laws.
- All participants must review safety information from the Coast Guard
- A Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) must be worn at all times by each member while on the water. These include the newer Coast Guard approved inflatable PFDs.
- Each PFD must have a pea-less whistle attached to it.
- It is recommended that each paddler have an activated chemical light attached to their PFD if paddling at night.
- No consumption of alcohol and (or) any mind altering drug or medication is permitted by any paddling or support member during race.
- All members must render emergency assistance to anyone in need.

Support Land Vehicle:

- Vehicle must be currently registered in team's home state and be in safe operating condition.
- Vehicle must be able to safely tow/carry a motorized support craft and the race craft.
- Vehicle must have, at a minimum, the following "Safety Gear" on board:

- Communication gear that includes: cellular phone and listing of emergency phone numbers (County Sheriff, local hospitals, other team phone numbers, etc.)
- Local river charts. area maps, and a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit
- First aid kit and flashlight
- Dry clothes for the paddlers

Motorized Support Craft

- Craft must be currently registered in team's home state and be sea worthy
- Craft must have a gasoline engine and sufficient fuel on board to navigate large sections of rivers and lakes.
- Craft must accompany the paddlers on Lake Bemidji, Cass Lake, Lake Winnibigoshish, Lake Pepin (Mile 785 to Mile 763), and the last 10 miles of the Mississippi River between Venice, Louisiana and the mile 0 marker.
- Recommended that support craft accompany the paddlers on any waters traversed between dusk and dawn. Support craft must follow state and Federal laws for traveling at night.
- Support craft must have the following, minimum amount of safety gear on-board:

- Communication gear that includes: marine radio, cellular phone and a listing of emergency phone numbers (County Sheriff, local hospitals, other team phone numbers, etc.)
- Local river charts in a water proof bag and a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit
- A first aid kit and flashlight
- Tow line attached to deck
- Coast Guard recommended lighting if traveling at night
- Signal Flares (3) and an Air Horn
- A dry change of cloths for the support craft's occupants and the racing paddlers in a water proof bag.

Racing Craft:

- Craft must be currently registered in team's home state as required by their home state
- Must float 25 pound steel weight when submerged
- Must have race numbers visible on bow
- Must have a means for bailing water
- Must have an accessible tow line attached to deck
- Must have on board local river charts in a water proof bag
- Must have on board 2 days worth of food and water
- Must have on board plastic bags available for waste collection
- Must have the following, minimum amount of "Safety Gear" on board:

- Communication gear that includes: marine radio, cellular phone; lists of emergency phone numbers (County Sheriff, local hospitals, other team phone numbers, etc.) and a Global Positioning System (GPS) device
- Dry clothes for each paddler in a water proof bag
- A first aid kit, flashlight, chemical lights, signal flares (3), and an Air Horn
- Rope "toss-bag"

-It is recommended that the racing craft run with white lights if operated at night. These could be directly attached to the craft or the paddlers.

Part Two:

This section of the Safety Plan focused on the communication between the teams and the event's communication center. (The event's communication center will be staffed 24 hours a day and can be contacted through several phone numbers and e-mail.) This interaction serves several purposes, which include:

1) recording the safe passage of the racing teams between checkpoints;
2) communicating safety information to the racing teams;
3) communicating safety information between teams;
4) documenting the times and locations of teams for the Guinness World Records.

Team captains (or co-captains), who are not racing paddlers, have the responsibility to communicate the status of their team to the race communication center. This must occur between the hours of 5 and 7 AM and 5 and 7 PM daily. Please note that is twice a day. The race communication center must be kept appraised daily of the team's racing craft's location and condition of its paddlers. Again, it's the team's responsibility to communicate this information to the race communications center. If more than 14 hours passes without word from either the shore support personnel or the racing paddlers, the team is considered "missing" and the "Emergency Plan" is activated.

The "Emergency Plan".

If 14 hours has elapsed without communication from a team, the event's communication center will first attempt to contact the missing team captain to determine their whereabouts and condition of their team. If unable to establish contact with the missing team's captains, the team captains from the other teams will be contacted and informed of the situation. If no further information is obtained as to the good health and safety of the missing team, the local authorities nearest the missing team's last reported location will be contacted and informed of the situation, these phone numbers will be passed along.

All attempts to communicate this event will be made to regional authorities prior to the race. Phone numbers will be made available to all participants prior to the race. This list must be on board the racing craft, motorized support craft and support vehicles.

Any team that finds itself in an emergency situation must render aid to those in need. Contact the local authorities and the event's communication center after the situation has stabilized. The team must use their own judgement as to whom to contact first. It is recommended that all team members be trained in a first aid program and CPR.

The event will attempt to have a volunteer medical doctor available by phone for teams to contact if the need arises. Please remember that there may be other teams nearby, willing to lend assistance if needed.