What Is A Safety Briefing?
A safety briefing is pre-race or pre-swim instruction given by a race director, safety personnel, an escort boat captain or an observer to open water swimmers or triathletes. The safety briefing can be held before an open water swimming race or before a marathon swim or channel swim. It generally and specifically covers the water temperature, conditions, marine life, rules, expectations, and emergency procedures and protocols as necessary.
It is a verbal confirmation of what can go wrong and what to do in those situations among the swimmers, crew, staff, and volunteers.
Photo shows the safety briefing at the 15 km FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix race in Isla Cozumel given by FINA official José Luis Borrego González.
Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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