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One of the factors that you ASSUME to be acceptable when you make your decision to accept a risk is the part that MKM is responsible for: The Race Course itself, including the Emergency Response crews, the Course Control Team, and the Communications Net. For example, would you consider running an Open Road Race event if there were no Fire & Rescue people? Of course not, because there would be no one to rescue you if you went “off-road.” Therefore, it is MKM’s responsibility to make SURE that coverage is present (it is also a REQUIREMENT by the State, but more on that later). So, you assume that the coverage is present when you evaluate the level of risk that you want to take—it HAS to be, for any evaluation on your part to be relevant.
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You also have a RIGHT to EXPECT that the MKM preparations be complete. We at MKM accept that responsibility, and this web page is designed to show everyone how seriously we take your safety.
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We realize you have a choice in your selection of Open Road Racing venues, as there are now many venues to choose from. We hope that among your first concerns in deciding where to race are the efforts by the promoters to provide you the safest possible venues to enjoy our beloved sport. For our part, we pledge to continue to set the standard in safety, which in turn reduces the burden of risk on our participants.
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THE PERMIT
All Open Road Racing Promoters in Nevada are required to obtain an event permit from the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT). Before NDOT issues this permit, the promoter must submit a Safety Plan detailing how the permit requirements will be met. NDOT sets the standards, and we must follow them – no exceptions. Below are some excerpts from the permit, showing you some of the key requirements:
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ARTICLE VII
The PERMITTEE shall conduct a technical inspection of each vehicle prior to allowing that vehicle on the event course. These inspection forms shall be maintained by the PERMITTEE and subject to inspection by the DEPARTMENT or law enforcement officials. Any vehicle not passing this inspection will not be allowed to participate.
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ARTICLE VIII
No driver or person connected with the PERMITTEE shall exceed the speed limit on the race route other than on the day of the event. The PERMITTEE agrees that any driver or vehicle exceeding the speed limit on the route within ninety (90) days prior to the event will be disqualified and not allowed to participate in the event. In addition, the PERMITTEE agrees that any driver or vehicle involved in racing or attempting to race on the event route within ninety (90) days prior to the event, as identified by the Nevada Highway Patrol or local law enforcement agencies, will be disqualified and not allowed to participate in the event.
ARTICLE IX
The event course will be secured by volunteers, of at least eighteen (18) years of age, or law enforcement officers. A sufficient number of personnel will be used so as to ensure visual contact is maintained with each adjacent volunteer throughout the entire event course. Each volunteer shall be in radio communication, directly or by relay, with the event staff at each end of the course. Each volunteer shall also possess a set of colored flags or placards (i.e. yellow & red) to signal participant vehicles as necessary.
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ARTICLE X
Sixty (60) days prior to the event, PERMITTEE shall provide the DEPARTMENT with a comprehensive written plan for public notice, traffic control, event administration, race control and safety.
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From these NDOT Permit requirements, MKM builds its Safety Plan and Course Control procedures, using a “Triad” of 1) Emergency Response Crews, 2) Course Control Officials, and 3) the Communications Net. Like a 3-legged stool, the Triad’s “legs” depend on each other to be effective, and all three are needed:
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1) Emergency Response Crews: MKM contracts local fire and Ambulance services, along with the Advanced Fire and Rescue Team, a private organization specializing in auto racing safety. Typically, on any given event, we have two ambulances, two fire trucks, and the two “crash response” vehicles of Advanced Fire & Rescue stationed at intervals throughout the course so as to be no more than 10 miles from any incident scene.
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We have also pioneered the practice of “Chasing” the field, sending a crash response vehicle down the course immediately after the last racer leaves the line, to speed up reaction time. Finally, we pay to have a fully-equipped Life Flight Helicopter ON STATION on the course should it be needed.
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2) Course Control Officials: Now that we have the Emergency Crews in place and ready, the next step is to keep a close eye on ALL participants, ALL THE TIME. In accordance with the NDOT permit, we position Course Control Officials (CCOs) at EVERY access point on the course, PLUS in every area not visible to a gate, thus insuring 100% visual coverage of the entire course. We are proud to say that MKM was the first to take this significant step, thanks to our 2002 Assistant Race Directors, Gene and Merle Anderson, who made us realize that the “old” way of Course Control, merely posting CCOs at gates, was inadequate, and that the “blind” spots on the course MUST also be covered. NDOT adopted this procedure into their permits for 2003 and beyond.
As most of you “older” racers know, getting enough CCOs was always a problem in the past, but with our Course Worker Liaison position and new program, last year we had CCOs to spare at every event, and there were no delays due to uncovered gates. EVERY course worker carries a set of LARGE (24”x 24”) Red and Yellow signal flags and a Motorola SP 50+ UHF radio, and they all attend a comprehensive Training Class on race weekend in their duties. Every CCO wears a bright “optic green” CCO shirt, and they can be seen in these shirts for nearly a mile! We also provide them with a written CCO Guide and a Grid Sheet for car tracking. Finally, we have overhead visual spotting from aircraft, to assist in any emergency situation.
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3) Communications Net: It does us no good at all to have 100% visual coverage if the CCOs can’t talk to anyone! This is the CRITICAL leg of the Triad – nothing works without communications. MKM is blessed to have the returning services of the Elko Amateur Radio Club, who have been providing communications for these events since 1994. These guys work for no pay, and they work long hours in the days before a race setting up from one to three radio repeaters on adjacent mountains up to 40 miles away, so we can achieve the NDOT-required end-to-end communications. On race day, the Elko “Hams” man from 5 to 9 Comm Relay stations, talking to between 47 and 90 Course Control Officials (CCOs).
Last year, the “Hams” rolled out their new communications “War Wagon,” a specially configured RV, and it worked like a champ as the central control of our communications net. MKM supplements this equipment with over $20,000 of our own radio equipment: 90 Motorola SP-50+ 10-Channel, 4-watt UHF hand-held radios for the CCOs, along with six additional 35-watt portable units at key points along the course. Last year, the Hams set up our radio nets perfectly – we could speak to every gate DIRECTLY from the War Wagon, with NO relays needed, and Gates and Checkpoints could speak directly to EACH OTHER thanks to the repeater system the Hams set up! The Elko Ham Club is responsible for the BEST communications system in Open Road Racing – BAR NONE! So, when you see a Ham, tell him THANKS!
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In conclusion, this explanation is an attempt to provide you with the information you need in assessing your risk in an Open Road Racing event. The MKM Triad assures you that you will NEVER be out of sight anywhere on the course, the person watching you WILL be properly trained and WILL have emergency communications if you need them, and that an Emergency response WILL be only minutes or even seconds away.
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