Saturday’s Three Bridge Fiasco was record-setting on many levels. Thank you to each of those who participated, and especially volunteers.
The event also had some challenges. In particular, by the 7 PM deadline the Race Committee had reconciled the finishers and retirements that we had received up to that point, at 9 PM we still had 29 boats not accounted for.
We began reaching out to the primary contact information of the unaccounted boats. Mostly, our calls went to voice mail. Many responded via text or called in response to our voice mails (thank you). Yet by 11 PM, we still had 15 boats not accounted for.
As of 9 AM Sunday, we still had 8 boats not accounted for. Accordingly, we began calling the emergency back-up numbers, along with the harbormasters where the boats were located. It was not until 1:30 PM Sunday that we could account for all race participants.
By that time, the Race Committee had fielded three calls from the Coast Guard since the event began. This began on Saturday afternoon, when we received reports that a body had been removed from the water in the vicinity of Richmond. As a result, for approximately 18 hours we could not confirm with the Coast Guard that the body was not one of our own.
We weren’t contacting potential race retirees just to check in; we were worried one or more of them had died.
Please think about that for a moment.
I have thought about the family that has endured a loss this weekend, and selfishly am grateful we have not lost one of our members.
But 18 hours is an unconscionably long time to be in doubt about such a question… I know as a community we can do better than this. We must do better.
The SSS board will be considering how to mitigate the above risks, and improve communication with the Coast Guard, our members and our racers. I invite our community to contribute their thoughts on this issue, whether via the forum or via email to me or the Board.
Thanks, Chris Case, SSS Commodore
The event also had some challenges. In particular, by the 7 PM deadline the Race Committee had reconciled the finishers and retirements that we had received up to that point, at 9 PM we still had 29 boats not accounted for.
We began reaching out to the primary contact information of the unaccounted boats. Mostly, our calls went to voice mail. Many responded via text or called in response to our voice mails (thank you). Yet by 11 PM, we still had 15 boats not accounted for.
As of 9 AM Sunday, we still had 8 boats not accounted for. Accordingly, we began calling the emergency back-up numbers, along with the harbormasters where the boats were located. It was not until 1:30 PM Sunday that we could account for all race participants.
By that time, the Race Committee had fielded three calls from the Coast Guard since the event began. This began on Saturday afternoon, when we received reports that a body had been removed from the water in the vicinity of Richmond. As a result, for approximately 18 hours we could not confirm with the Coast Guard that the body was not one of our own.
We weren’t contacting potential race retirees just to check in; we were worried one or more of them had died.
Please think about that for a moment.
I have thought about the family that has endured a loss this weekend, and selfishly am grateful we have not lost one of our members.
But 18 hours is an unconscionably long time to be in doubt about such a question… I know as a community we can do better than this. We must do better.
The SSS board will be considering how to mitigate the above risks, and improve communication with the Coast Guard, our members and our racers. I invite our community to contribute their thoughts on this issue, whether via the forum or via email to me or the Board.
Thanks, Chris Case, SSS Commodore
