What safety duties does a sprint coach have on the water?

Under the CKC Code of Safety (effective 1 April 2025), every coach, instructor or leader must:

• be trained and certified at the appropriate level for the activity
• make sure every training and racing site is safe, and be ready to change or cancel the activity if water or weather conditions change
• make sure the ratio of coaches to participants is safe and appropriate for the conditions and the skill level of the paddlers
• have or create the site's Emergency Action Plan, and know the emergency procedures and where first aid kits and safety equipment are
• be trained in first aid and CPR (including AED) and in concussion protocols
• get any medical conditions that could become a safety issue from the parent or legal guardian of a minor athlete
• be able to call for help in an emergency (a cell phone, or a portable radio with someone on standby at the other end)
• complete an Accident Report Form for any incident involving medical attention, rescue involving entrapment, or anything from which others could learn, and submit copies to the provincial or territorial organization.

Flatwater coaches and instructors must also wear a Government of Canada approved PFD at all times on the water. When coaching from a safety motorboat, they must make sure paddlers in formal training, final preparation or competition who are not wearing PFDs stay within 500 m of the boat, unless those paddlers carry a fitted lifejacket or PFD for each crew member and a sound-signalling device (plus a watertight flashlight after sunset, before sunrise or in restricted visibility).

Source: CKC Code of Safety, April 1, 2025 (https://albertawhitewater.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/CKC-Code-of-Safety-April-1-2025-EN-FINAL.pdf)