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Group Snorkelling
Regulations
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Snorkelling by Groups
Educational and special interest groups are required by LIRS to follow specific snorkelling procedures to enhance safety.
The group leader must identify various snorkelling supervisors from among the group (i.e. a snorkelling coordinator, a first aid and oxygen provider, one or more lookouts and sometimes a guide). These people must be suitably qualified and accept their responsibilities in writing. The group leader, the coordinator and the first aid provider may be the same person, and he/she may also act as a lookout and guide. Qualifications and responsibilities of the group snorkelling supervisors are shown in the Group Snorkelling Supervisors Form.
At the Station, before snorkelling activities begin
- One of the Station's directors will discuss snorkelling safety and sites with the snorkelling coordinator and ensure that the group form has been filled in.
- One of the Station's directors will provide a briefing to the group on snorkelling safety (role of the snorkelling coordinator and lookouts, buddy system, signals, recall).
- For each group member, the group leader will obtain the name and contact number of a person to be contacted in case of emergency.
- The coordinator will caution people against participating in snorkelling if they suffer from any medical condition which can be exacerbated through strenuous exercise or which has intrinsic risk factors for water activities.
- The coordinator will identify people in the group who have not snorkelled previously or who are non-swimmers or weak swimmers, and carry out a special briefing and introduction to snorkelling for these people.
- The coordinator will assign each snorkeller to a particular boat and ensure that each person always travels in that boat.
- Each snorkeller is responsible for fully advising the coordinator about his/her swimming abilities and any relevant medical condition.
At the snorkelling site
- A lookout must be posted if the groups size is ten people or more. For groups of less than 10 people, an in-water guide may be posted in lieu of a lookout following suitable risk assessment. Most group snorkelling at LIRS is done with a lookout and the following points assume that is the case.
- Before the group enters the water, the coordinator will indicate the boundaries of the snorkelling area to the group and ensure that the entire area is within plain view of the lookout.
- The coordinator will identify the lookout and his/her location to the group, and ensure that snorkellers form buddy pairs or groups of three.
- The coordinator will ensure that the lookout has polarising sunglasses and binoculars to enhance vision, a whistle to give a recall signal if necessary, and that the rescue boat is nearby and ready to be used at short notice.
- The lookout will count the number of people entering the water and keep regular watch on the group, making head counts periodically and on exit. Entry and exit counts must match!
- The lookout must make passing boats aware of the presence of snorkellers in the water if necessary.
- If a signal for assistance is made by a snorkeller, the lookout must quickly assess the level of emergency. The lookout should consider passing his/her duties to another person while going to the assistance of the snorkeller, or of recalling the group if no other suitable person is immediately available. However, if the snorkeller clearly requires immediate aid, the lookout should act to provide it immediately.
- If the lookout is not also a qualified first aider and oxygen provider, the person who is suitably qualified must be nearby and ready to come to the aid of the lookout if necessary.
- Each snorkeller is responsible for staying with his/her buddy within the snorkelling boundaries, and obeying any recall signal immediately.
Relevant links
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The Group Snorkelling Supervisors' Form is only available in PDF format. The FREE Acrobat Reader is required.
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