COVID Rules for Duty Volunteers
As a result of the current circumstances we’re experiencing it has become necessary to make some changes to Volunteer Duties. Some of these were happening regardless and others as part of COVID19 compliance. We will still have the same number of volunteers required for duty each race day however the following changes have been made. If you have any questions about performing duty please contact club Volunteer Coordinator Craig Cusack on [email protected]
SWIM LEG
Previously we’ve had four volunteers on the swim leg with three in the water on boards and one land based observer. We still have four volunteers for the new season, however the land based observer has now been clearly defined in Dutyman as ‘Swim Observer’. So if you choose to volunteer for a ‘Swim’ Duty you are expected to be in the water and competent on a paddle board. As the land based ‘Swim Observer’ you will be expected to observe the swim from a position where you have an unhindered view of all swim leg competitors and readily able to gain the attention of those volunteers on boards to render assistance where necessary or be capable of rendering assistance yourself. You should also have your mobile phone as a minimum to contact emergency services or other person as required.
RUN LEG
Previously we’ve had two volunteers on the run leg, one volunteer at the turn-around table near the Yacht Club and the other volunteer near the toilet block turn-around along Jordan Esplanade. The later remains in place and will be responsible for the appropriate placement of cones around the run course and the setting up of the drinks table at the Yacht Club turn-around. Last year some of you may have noticed some changes at the drinks table as we attempted to move away from the use of plastic cups and stopped putting out Gatorade due the large amount of waste and the number of members with their own nutritional supplements. Whilst we will still have the table out, we will no longer have a volunteer at the table or drinks available. If you feel you may need a drink it will now be the responsibility of the individual athlete to place their own clearly marked/labelled drink bottle on the table for their use prior to the start of the race and too collect it post race.
The run leg volunteer position that previously manned the drinks table has now become the newly created *COVID Marshall* as defined on Dutyman. As *COVID Marshall* you will wear a COVID Marshall vest clearly identifying you. Some of your responsibilities will obviously include ensuring athlete, volunteer and supporter compliance with COVID legislation in a ‘user friendly’ manner. You will further be responsible for the appropriate placement of signage and hand sanitiser stations and most importantly ensuring all present in support of athletes (partner, child, mother, father, other relative or friend) have signed on and off the attendance register. Prior to volunteering for this position you should ensure that you have completed the ‘Infection Control Training-COVID19’ course. There are a number of us on committee that have completed this training and it is certainly nothing to be overwhelmed by. It is very user friendly and very much common sense based and should take around 15-20 minutes of your time at the most. Craig Cusack will take on this roll at the first race and Kristy Ylinen (injury permitting) will take it on after that for a period of time. As a club we are taking all necessary steps to ensure we are compliant in conducting club races, whatever your beliefs or views may be around COVID19 restrictions; please be assured that as your committee we are further aware of ensuring the appropriate public perception of the manner in which we conduct ourselves as a club and individuals.
TIMING
Previously we’ve had the roles of Timing Assistant at the timing table and Timing Starter on the beach. The role of the Timing Assistant is unchanged and is listed as ‘Timing’ on Dutyman. The Timing Starter role is now listed as ‘Starter/Orlando and Marina’ on Dutyman. We attempted to move towards this role last year to assist in the greater protection of our athletes and to reassure the local Traffic Committee of our commitment to athlete safety after a number of incidents at and around this intersection. For a number of reasons we were inconsistent in fulfilling this role consistently on race days. This is now a clearly defined position. Once you have conducted your starter duties on the beach you will make your way to the intersection of Orlando Street, Marina Drive and Harbour Drive and position yourself prominently at that intersection, most likely on the footpath around the area of the ‘Whale Tail’ fountain. This will enable you to clearly observe athlete compliance with the 2019/20 club rule of sitting up on the bike between the roundabout at the intersection of Orlando and Collingwood Streets and the intersection of Harbour Drive, Hood and Camperdown Streets at the Pier Hotel. Further to alert athletes where necessary to any perceived danger from other road users. Volunteers in this position should be aware that we are not authorised traffic controllers and as such should not engage in traffic control unless it becomes absolutely necessary due to an incident occurring to prevent further incident or injury whilst awaiting the arrival of emergency services. As with all volunteers you should ensure you are wearing a hi-viz vest and as a minimum have a mobile phone to contact emergency services or other person as required.
OTHER ROLES
Whilst the other roles remain unchanged I will be attempting to more clearly define each role over the coming weeks to ensure we are all confident in our volunteering duties and reduce the level of confusion experienced by some members around their duties when volunteering.
IN GENERAL
Given membership numbers, all non-executive members will be expected to perform at least two duties as a minimum this season; one duty prior to the 31st December 2020 and one duty after January 1st 2021. The Volunteer Coordinator has withheld the availability of the 2021 Duty Roster to ensure we look after 2020 positions firstly. Further, if you choose to volunteer for two duties prior to 31st December 2020, this may not necessarily preclude you from being nominated for a duty after 01st January 2021. As stated last year, think about your target races, individual program and other commitments so as you might plan appropriately around your volunteering duties.
COVID REQUIREMENTS
As previously all volunteers will be expected to be in attendance at the Yacht Club no later than 05:30 ready to assist with set up and perform your rostered duty. All volunteers will be required to wear gloves, face masks and hi-viz jacket. The exception will be Swim Leg volunteers whilst in the water. The club will supply gloves, face masks, sanitizer and jackets. There will be no more than one person inside the cage at anytime. Bike racks will be spaced and marked appropriately for the placement of athletes bikes and wiped down prior to athletes racking bikes and post race with an appropriate sanitising agent prior to pack up by volunteers on the day. It is further very important that you ensure you sign on and off the volunteer/COVID attendance register prior to commencing duty or leaving to go home. Good luck with your racing and you may contact Craig Cusack the club Volunteer Coordinator on [email protected] if you have any questions.
SWIM LEG
Previously we’ve had four volunteers on the swim leg with three in the water on boards and one land based observer. We still have four volunteers for the new season, however the land based observer has now been clearly defined in Dutyman as ‘Swim Observer’. So if you choose to volunteer for a ‘Swim’ Duty you are expected to be in the water and competent on a paddle board. As the land based ‘Swim Observer’ you will be expected to observe the swim from a position where you have an unhindered view of all swim leg competitors and readily able to gain the attention of those volunteers on boards to render assistance where necessary or be capable of rendering assistance yourself. You should also have your mobile phone as a minimum to contact emergency services or other person as required.
RUN LEG
Previously we’ve had two volunteers on the run leg, one volunteer at the turn-around table near the Yacht Club and the other volunteer near the toilet block turn-around along Jordan Esplanade. The later remains in place and will be responsible for the appropriate placement of cones around the run course and the setting up of the drinks table at the Yacht Club turn-around. Last year some of you may have noticed some changes at the drinks table as we attempted to move away from the use of plastic cups and stopped putting out Gatorade due the large amount of waste and the number of members with their own nutritional supplements. Whilst we will still have the table out, we will no longer have a volunteer at the table or drinks available. If you feel you may need a drink it will now be the responsibility of the individual athlete to place their own clearly marked/labelled drink bottle on the table for their use prior to the start of the race and too collect it post race.
The run leg volunteer position that previously manned the drinks table has now become the newly created *COVID Marshall* as defined on Dutyman. As *COVID Marshall* you will wear a COVID Marshall vest clearly identifying you. Some of your responsibilities will obviously include ensuring athlete, volunteer and supporter compliance with COVID legislation in a ‘user friendly’ manner. You will further be responsible for the appropriate placement of signage and hand sanitiser stations and most importantly ensuring all present in support of athletes (partner, child, mother, father, other relative or friend) have signed on and off the attendance register. Prior to volunteering for this position you should ensure that you have completed the ‘Infection Control Training-COVID19’ course. There are a number of us on committee that have completed this training and it is certainly nothing to be overwhelmed by. It is very user friendly and very much common sense based and should take around 15-20 minutes of your time at the most. Craig Cusack will take on this roll at the first race and Kristy Ylinen (injury permitting) will take it on after that for a period of time. As a club we are taking all necessary steps to ensure we are compliant in conducting club races, whatever your beliefs or views may be around COVID19 restrictions; please be assured that as your committee we are further aware of ensuring the appropriate public perception of the manner in which we conduct ourselves as a club and individuals.
TIMING
Previously we’ve had the roles of Timing Assistant at the timing table and Timing Starter on the beach. The role of the Timing Assistant is unchanged and is listed as ‘Timing’ on Dutyman. The Timing Starter role is now listed as ‘Starter/Orlando and Marina’ on Dutyman. We attempted to move towards this role last year to assist in the greater protection of our athletes and to reassure the local Traffic Committee of our commitment to athlete safety after a number of incidents at and around this intersection. For a number of reasons we were inconsistent in fulfilling this role consistently on race days. This is now a clearly defined position. Once you have conducted your starter duties on the beach you will make your way to the intersection of Orlando Street, Marina Drive and Harbour Drive and position yourself prominently at that intersection, most likely on the footpath around the area of the ‘Whale Tail’ fountain. This will enable you to clearly observe athlete compliance with the 2019/20 club rule of sitting up on the bike between the roundabout at the intersection of Orlando and Collingwood Streets and the intersection of Harbour Drive, Hood and Camperdown Streets at the Pier Hotel. Further to alert athletes where necessary to any perceived danger from other road users. Volunteers in this position should be aware that we are not authorised traffic controllers and as such should not engage in traffic control unless it becomes absolutely necessary due to an incident occurring to prevent further incident or injury whilst awaiting the arrival of emergency services. As with all volunteers you should ensure you are wearing a hi-viz vest and as a minimum have a mobile phone to contact emergency services or other person as required.
OTHER ROLES
Whilst the other roles remain unchanged I will be attempting to more clearly define each role over the coming weeks to ensure we are all confident in our volunteering duties and reduce the level of confusion experienced by some members around their duties when volunteering.
IN GENERAL
Given membership numbers, all non-executive members will be expected to perform at least two duties as a minimum this season; one duty prior to the 31st December 2020 and one duty after January 1st 2021. The Volunteer Coordinator has withheld the availability of the 2021 Duty Roster to ensure we look after 2020 positions firstly. Further, if you choose to volunteer for two duties prior to 31st December 2020, this may not necessarily preclude you from being nominated for a duty after 01st January 2021. As stated last year, think about your target races, individual program and other commitments so as you might plan appropriately around your volunteering duties.
COVID REQUIREMENTS
As previously all volunteers will be expected to be in attendance at the Yacht Club no later than 05:30 ready to assist with set up and perform your rostered duty. All volunteers will be required to wear gloves, face masks and hi-viz jacket. The exception will be Swim Leg volunteers whilst in the water. The club will supply gloves, face masks, sanitizer and jackets. There will be no more than one person inside the cage at anytime. Bike racks will be spaced and marked appropriately for the placement of athletes bikes and wiped down prior to athletes racking bikes and post race with an appropriate sanitising agent prior to pack up by volunteers on the day. It is further very important that you ensure you sign on and off the volunteer/COVID attendance register prior to commencing duty or leaving to go home. Good luck with your racing and you may contact Craig Cusack the club Volunteer Coordinator on [email protected] if you have any questions.
