(a) An Area Risk and Response Officer must be appointed for each competition arena and reports to the Safety and Emergency Management Coordinator.
(b) Area Risk and Response Officers work with the Area Referees and course supervisor to:
- (i) Undertake an initial risk assessment of the area and then continually monitor competition conditions by conducting further risk assessments on a regular basis;
- (ii) Monitor the time events take to complete and note any issues with the competition conditions;
- (iii) Monitor trends in the ratios of competitors starting and finishing events;
- (iv) In the absence of a Statistician assume the duties of this role including recording the number of starters and finishers and account for any non-finishers in each race. If there is any competitor not accounted for in a race, immediately advise the Safety and Emergency Management Coordinator and then the Sectional Referee/Referee.
- (v) Obtain, record and immediately convey feedback from competitors, powercraft water safety personnel, officials and lifesaving/lifeguard personnel as to the conditions and immediately escalate any reports of safety concerns directly with the Emergency Services Management Coordinator and the Area Referee. The outcomes of such tasks are to be conveyed to the Safety and Emergency Management Coordinator.
(c) Area Risk and Response Officers must be aware at all times of the safety and welfare of competitors, officials and other personnel involved in the competition and have the authority to immediately suspend wholly or in part the competition whenever there is a credible basis for concluding there is an unacceptable risk of serious injury and refer that decision to the Safety and Emergency Management Coordinator and Referee or their delegate.
(d) In conjunction with the Area/Sectional referee, the Area Risk and Response Officer has the authority to initiate any search and rescue actions and immediately notify the Safety and Emergency Management Coordinator and Referee or their delegate.
(e) The Area Risk and Response Officer may be required to take and keep control as forward coordinator under direction of the Safety and Emergency Management Coordinator or representatives of government agencies. This is to avoid confusion and conflicting directions being given to personnel and contradictory instructions being given in respect to the use of rescue assets and crowd control.