1. with the support of the British Motor Sports Training Trust
Standard annual MSA slide
with the support of the British Motor Sports Training Trust
MSA logo pantone colours:
Red:
C:0
M:87
Y:60
K:0
Blue
C;100
M:95
Y:2
K:10
Grey (when used)
C:20
M:1`5
Y:11
K:40

2. Incident Handling
Rally and Cross Country

3. Housekeeping

4. Trainer Slide Name and MSA Lead Trainer grade/title Experience
Disciplines

5. Incident Handling
When there has been an event which requires intervention various parts of the event machine are affected. This session looks at the way that is handled.

6. Outline of Session Identification of incidents requiring action
First actions and decisions to be made by the marshal on scene
Initial verbal reports content
Secondary action to be taken on scene and assuming control of others
Actions after an incident
What happens as a result of the report and who makes decisions

7. What is an Incident?
Anything that requires intervention by event officials.
Anything digressing from a planned or expected sequence of events.
An incident could be pretty much anything that needs to be dealt with.
Note that it is not just competing cars having accidents that are being addressed
NB Nothing in this training session covers First Aid or emergency extrication as covered in First Marshal on Scene training

8. The need to report
The marshal on the scene is the eyes and ears of the Clerk of the Course and other senior officials.
Pass information before working to resolve incidents.
Those not present need clear information from the scene to base their decisions on.
The initial verbal report is crucial. It should be concise with just enough information for actions to be determined.
A few examples on next slide to give to delegates. For each one ask for description of the intervention this might require
Car off
Car on fire.
Car broken down.
Build up of spectators at a particular location.
Spectators standing in the wrong place.
Someone being taken ill.
Equipment malfunction.
Competitor not following the rules.
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9. What initial intervention?
Car off
Car on fire continuing through stage
Car broken down and stopped in stage
Build up of spectators at a particular location.
Spectators standing in the wrong place.
Someone being taken ill
Equipment malfunction
Competitor not following the rules
Quickly run through taking short answers from delegates drawing on what they already know from their own experience
What intervention is needed and by whom and who decides that it should happen
Eg for Car Off, marshal to investigate, stage commander to be aware, rescue and recovery to stand by, Clerk and CMO to be aware, is stage passable, any injuries, stage may be held or stopped for intervention by marshals locally or resources to be sent in and by whose authority. What effect does this then have on times or reroute and thus results.
Prompt as you go through to emphasise how each one of these will need to be communicated to someone else who is in a decision making role.
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10. Incident occurs at post 3
During an Incident
Incident occurs at post 3
Sector marshal passes message via Radio Operator to Control for Clerk
Marshal sees incident and calls via voice to sector marshal
Clerk of Course requests further information & issues instructions
a. Stage Start Radio for Stage Commander
b. CMO and Chief Safety
Recovery Team
mobilised to site
await medical team actions
B. Rescue and/or Recovery enter stage
A. stage Commander
stops next vehicle starting
Medical Team on site – evaluate incident & report to Control
Medical Team
attend to casualties
This very simple incident flowchart illustrates the main information flow on a rally or cross country incident. Depending on the size of the event more or less people will be involved in the chain. On a small Comp Safari for example the Clerk may be the Stage Commander and the radio control all at the same time.
The use of two directional arrows in the first row could be continued elsewhere but is to illustrate the importance of a first verbal report which may then trigger further information requests.
Medical Team
transfer to RV point
Recovery Team
remove vehicle
Sector marshal informs control stage clear at his location
CoC decides on next steps and passes message via control
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11. Understanding the Incident
Who is involved?
Who has been, or is being, affected?
What has happened?
Where has it happened?
When did it happen?
Is additional assistance needed?
Why has it happened?
How has it happened?
For the incident to be handled correctly it is necessary for everyone involved to understand it properly.
The marshals first verbal report is the start of this process
How does someone make a decision?
Based on Information.
How does someone make the right decision?
Clear information.
Reliable source.
By taking enough time…..
Who, What, Where, When, Why & How are the key questions to be answered.

12. Is the track blocked?
This is one of the first questions which an incident report can generate once the fact that there are no injuries has been ascertained.
Should really be in the first report but is often omitted and is of vital importance to the decision making that follows
Illustration shows first car off road and so stage is clear and no intervention is required.
Discuss at this point whether it should be radioed in or not. (Yes, makes tracking much clearer and removes any doubt)
Click mouse again to show next incident has blocked stage completely. Important for those working at incidents to be able to understand “blocked” “passable with care” and “clear” as these will affect decisions on continuing to run the event or hold it.
If this is a Comp Safari or Hill Rally and live recovery is authorised in SRs then it is important that Live Recovery yellow flag rules are implemented Blue Book Regulation P13.1 (make sure that delegates realise this is different from Rally yellow flag regulations)
Also important that they understand the request for estimated time to clear any incident even if just moving a car so that stage is “passable with care”
Need for report when stage is cleared and what has happened to vehicle and crew.
Also important to note that someone will need to pass such information to other competitors etc etc
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13. Incident at your location
Remember your personal safety and that of others offering assistance
Sector Marshal should give guidance and assume control
Check driver & navigator
Move cars to a place of safety or clear a path for cars to get through
Act quickly and positively to enlist local assistance but do not permit anyone to move any vehicle with injured occupants or put themselves or others in danger.
Use damaged cars to protect yourself
Do you need the SOS or OK board ?
Remember to call for assistance as soon as it becomes obvious that you need it
If the incident is at your location and has not cleared quickly how should you handle it?
Discuss each slide point in turn.
Remember the importance of the initial verbal report before committing to action on the stage
Emphasis on safety, remembering to send someone to slow down next competitors (marshal in an official tabard is safest) and also use of whistles to give warning of approaching cars.
Important point that the marshal in charge should assume control and be positive and assertive but not aggressive to achieve cooperative effort.
If car has rolled ensure there are no apparent injuries before spectators rush in and roll it back. Lateral whiplash injuries from this can be very serious.
Do not allow anyone to be in a position of danger if at all possible
Don’t forget to use the OK board or SOS board to next car . This ensures correct messages get to control
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14. Know the Onboard Systems
Electrical cut off isolates the power supply to stop fuel being pumped into a hot engine
On-board fire extinguishers direct extinguishant to where it is most needed
OFF
All competing cars should be equipped with an electrical cut off switch and a means of operating a plumbed in on board system from outside.
You should know the difference between the electrical cut off and extinguisher symbols.
When a car comes off and doesn’t restart, the power must be isolated to stop fuel being pumped into a hot engine.
Sometimes the same switch operates both the power cut off and the extinguisher, so it’s best to ask the driver to turn the power off.
Don’t hesitate to use on-board extinguishers if there is a fire. They direct the extinguishant to where it is most needed.
Familiarise yourself with the cars and their safety systems. Find out where the fuel tank is and the external extinguisher and fuel cut off switches. Are they in the same place? Are they both operated by the same switch? E

15. Assistance with an incident
Competitor injured in the car?
Car off the road?
Occupants trapped?
Occupants talking?
Others injured?
Risk of fire?
Keep notes
These are some of the scenarios where extra assistance is possibly going to be necessary
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16. Lucky escape
Short clip but surely this was an incident which so nearly went wrong.
A report after the event would be needed and acted on in terms of tapes and marshals for the next event!!!!!!
It is still an incident and will need all the usual handling. Someone down the road to slow oncoming cars, someone to coordinate the people to push the car back on the road. Someone to keep the escape road clear from now on. Someone to let HQ know that there is a potential problem. Someone to send more resources perhaps by non rally route
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17. Documenting the Incident
Good reporting is critical.
Who, what, where, when, why, How?
Who is involved? Who has been, or is being, affected?
What has happened?
Where has it happened?
When did it happen?
Why has it happened?
How has it happened?
After the incident is cleared you may be required to report on what happened and what was done. This
Remember the earlier comments…..How does someone make a decision?
Based on Information.
How does someone make the right decision? Who might need that information?
Clear information.
Reliable source.
By taking enough time…..
Who, What, Where, When, Why & How are the key questions to be answered.

18. Why document it? Your evidence may be required for Resolving protests
Applying or removing time penalties
Judicial matters
External enquiries eg coroners court
Improving event management in future
etc
The list may be quite extensive
Lead discussion on what use may be made of reports and emphasis the full range from an award of a notional time to a competitor delayed by your incident to police enquiries as a result of injury or fatality.
Important point is to note how much a good clear report can assist in changing event practice in the future to mitigate risk or manage situations better. One example would be modifying spectator access areas if they had been causing issues.
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19. Summary/Review Identification of incidents requiring action
First actions and decisions to be made by the marshal on scene
Initial verbal reports content
Secondary action to be taken on scene and assuming control of others
Actions after an incident
What happens as a result of the report and who makes decisions

20. Measurement/Assessment
As noted on course outline

21. Evaluation

22. Acknowledgements Club logos Venue thanks etc
With the support of the British Motor Sports Training Trust