Please use our contact directory for volunteer and BAOC email addresses.

Several (~4-6) months before event

Talk to the Regional Event Coordinator and find out if a permit has already been requested and whether you need to do it. Permit procedure can vary between parks.
Check in with your assigned E-Punch lead for the event (EPunch Director)
Check in with your assigned Registration lead for the event (Registration Director)
Talk to the Course Setter (CS), discuss the event format and check if CS has any special issues or requests for the Rangers.
If this is a multi-day or National Ranking Event please read Appendix 1.
Alert the Regional Event Coordinator or Treasurer to any large unexpected expenses e.g. increased insurance or permit fees
Review the volunteer sign-up sheet for information about areas where you will need to recruit volunteers. Reviewing the volunteers from the previous year's event may be useful (see Results pages).

A couple of months before the event

Talk to the CS to check the location of the assembly area, start & finish.
Check progress on course planning and that the CS has a plan for vetting.
Consider site amenities such as restrooms, parking, access, shade, etc. Ideally there will be picnic tables or similar for snacks etc.
Schedule call with Rangers about any special requests from the CS, and particular requirements we may need to provide such as signage, portable toilets etc.
Add general details on the website so folks save the date and know the general event format.
Obtain an insurance certificate for the Event - this will be a permit requirement in most cases and may already have been done. To get a COI (Certificate of Insurance) go here: https://orienteeringusa.org/resources/insurance/ fill in the PDF form and follow the directions.
When it comes due, pay for the permit and keep all records for reimbursement (or contact the BAOC Treasurer if you want them to pay the permit directly).

A few weeks before the event

Identify where the club equipment will come from for your event i.e. either the locker (in Fremont, ask a BAOC officer for access details) or, ideally, the previous event. The registration and e-punch crews take care of their own equipment. The ED is in charge of all the “general” assembly area equipment, and the starts and finishes. Make sure the first aid kit is included in the equipment.
Check that the CS will be picking up the field e-punch equipment in good time and managing the control setup and placement.
Plan how to communicate with the start area if it is remote. Charge Walkie Talkies if necessary. Check mobile phone coverage at park.
Add more details on the website, get the course statistics and CS notes posted as soon as they are available
Once your event is a few weeks out, send out a general email announcement of the event and the first call for volunteers to baoc@groups.io
Include the Google Signup sheet in your email. You may also contact orienteers directly to help - everyone is supportive of needing to help.
If online registration is already open, include a link to that
Ideally include a link to the online registration in ALL the announcements about the event
If online registration is not open within two weeks of the event, remind the Registration crew to open online registration. They will need details of which courses will be on offer. Online registration is one of the best ways to make the day run smoothly, with fewer queues, less demand on volunteers etc.
Talk to the CS about control pickup - how many volunteers are needed? Check that CS is planning to provide maps and organize the control pickup when the courses close.
Decide with the CS who will do the map printing. Anything special? Usually, the CS does this. Either way, always print more than you think you need, especially yellow! Some “Beginner” groups go out with up to seven or eight people in them, and each person likes their own map. See the map printing guide.
Once you have the equipment, make sure you have enough expendables (like map cases, start sheets, cups) These are usually in the locker or with the last ED.
Assign a volunteer to bring snacks if allowed on the permit. (Rough shopping list: half a dozen gallons of water, a few bags of chips, a few bunches of bananas, a few dozen cereal bars etc. is the default, but feel free to experiment!).
Agree with CS a plan for any water to be placed on the courses. Many parks do not allow any refreshments to be provided - in this case some emergency water should still be available at the assembly area and on the courses.
Ideally, you'll have the permit in hand at least two weeks or more ahead of the event
You will likely get contacted by some larger groups beforehand: Alert Registration (registrar@baoc.org) and your EPunch lead so they can plan appropriately.

A few days before the event

Make sure you have enough volunteers, call for more if needed. Ask people individually if needed. Don’t leave yourself with too many tasks the day-of: You are needed for general oversight
Print a copy of the issued permit and plan to bring it to the event. The ranger may ask to see it at your event
Buy refreshments if that is your job (ideally delegate)
Do you need to remind the Rangers about anything? (early access, help moving anything, dropping remote water? access to bathrooms etc.)
Try and work out how early you can access the assembly area, if it is behind a locked gate
Make sure the web page is accurate, especially the directions. Make everything as clear as possible. Many folks will never have been to the location before, or we might be using a different assembly area compared to previous years.
Make sure online registration is working, and that folks know about it. Encourage everyone to use it!
Check in with the volunteers, make sure everything is shipshape. Maybe let them have your cell phone number
See if CS needs help setting controls on the morning of the event (since you will likely not run, you are one of the few people who can help). The CS should already have all the e-punches, stands, bags etc. that they need for setting out the courses.
Work out where the equipment will go once your event is done (ideally you will hand it off to the next ED directly at the end of your event).

Day of event

Pack your car in good time, make sure you have everything:
Start: Map trays, clocks, clipboards, start sheets, map cases, flagging tape / streamers / pin flags (if remote start), pens, walkie talkies for remote starts or other general usage on large maps in remote area.
Refreshments: Water, cups, snacks, paper plates, paper towel, trash bags etc.
Signs: parking / direction signs, extra stands, banners for start / finish, club, registration etc. (there are currently two types of each banner - flag-style in fabric cases or rolled-up canvas), rope / bungy cords for attaching signs and stuff
Miscellaneous: Duct tape, rope, penknife, lots of pens / markers, zip ties
Personal: Printed copy of permit etc., lunch, hat, water, sunscreen etc. for yourself -- it's going to be a long day!
Get to the event site as early as possible after sunrise -- almost any problem can be solved with enough time! Deal with the Rangers, public etc. as necessary. Rangers will usually drop by at some point.
Set up driving / parking direction signs, flagging route to start (if necessary), banners, refreshments. Any things that other volunteers are not tasked with doing
Help the e-punch and registration crews pick the best spot for their duties as they arrive (which is typically around 8:45 - 9 am)
Direct the general volunteers to their assigned tasks as they arrive
Some new competitors always arrive very early (there is almost always a competitor there before 9 am!). Greet them as needed if all the other volunteers are still busy setting up.
Make sure your first Beginner’s clinic starts soon after registration opens: The first one is often the busiest. But also make sure clinics are available until 11:30 am for late arrivals.
Help out where needed, and just generally make sure things run smoothly all day
Make sure all volunteers get enough time to run their own courses
Remember, you are “in charge” of today. Be present in the assembly area, be available, and make sure folks know how to find you if any issues arise.
Receive and keep the list of starters from the Start Crew.
Ask e-punch for a list of runners still on their course around 30 minutes before course closure time. This is usually a short list of participants who started later in the day (often volunteers). E-punch team can help check for anyone who has been out for an unexpectedly long time for example 3 hours on White. Occasionally, despite our best efforts, people forget to download / let us know they are back.
Usually everyone is accounted for or has returned within 30 minutes of the course closure.
If there are runners still out :

Look for anyone waiting in the assembly area for that person.
Check the start time list created by the Start Crew for their name. Have the E-Punch team check if they punched the start control. If not found in either place, this person probably did not start the course at all - or possibly joined a group. In this case no further action is needed.
Retrieve the finish unit(s) and have E-Punch team check if the person punched it. If they did, they have simply forgotten to download. No further action is required.
Check with registration or EPunch for preregistered people’s phone numbers and car information.
Check with Registration for same-day entry forms with contact info. If the registration team has left, phone them and ask them to find the person’s entry form.
Look for a car with that plate in the parking lot; call the cell phone.
Alert the control pick up crew that this person is still out, and make sure the pick up people know the person's name; if possible, make sure the pick up people have the means to get in touch with you (the ED) if they come across the person still out
Ask the control pickup team to wait until the missing orienteer is accounted for before leaving the event in case a search is needed.
If someone cannot be found, or has been out much longer than expected, you may need to organize a search for them. Experienced club members and the course setter can assist with this if needed. Read Appendix 2 for more details on what you should do in this case.

Assist the CS in gathering pickup volunteers and plan to start pickup promptly at course closure (or as soon as the last competitor returns – whichever is sooner).
Stay at the site until all controls have been picked up and the site is clean and clear. Stay in close contact with whoever is in charge of control pick-up so you know where the pick-up crew is and how it is progressing.
Ideally, try to go home with NO Equipment (i.e. give it all to the next ED and CS)

Week after the event

Make a write-up / thank-you for the webpage & email. Be careful to thank everyone involved, not just day-of volunteers! The volunteer spreadsheet will have most names, and crew chiefs can let you know if anyone worked who wasn’t in the spreadsheet.
If you still have equipment, hand off to next ED or bring back to club locker in Fremont
Submit your expenses to the club treasurer https://baoc.org/wiki/images/c/c9/BAOC_Expense_Form.pdf
Think about how things could be made easier for next time
Celebrate a job well done

Appendix 1 - National Ranking Events and Multi-Day Events

If you are event director for a National Ranking event (NRE) or multi-day event there are some areas which may be handled differently. The BAOC NRE Director is your resource for all things NRE.
Free Barebones NRE - if your event is our annual Fee-free NRE event you do not necessarily need to include the following extra setup items - 7 high quality NRE standard courses are the main requirement. You may get further advice on your particular event from the NRE Director
Permits are applied for as soon as possible - think about increasing the expected attendance if appropriate on the permit.
Try to have an earlier meeting with the Ranger to cover any special requests from the course setters e.g. more parking, special access, extra bathrooms. Mention this will be a National event with some attendees travelling from across the US.
Coordinate with the NRE Director on posting the event on the national planning calendar as soon as possible.
Also post the date and format early on Attackpoint.org and the BAOC website (webmaster: chuck.spalding@baoc.org).
Create a budget for the event - see template - This is helpful to manage costs and plan for expenses such as awards or t-shirts. Share with the treasurer and NRE Director and other team members to get useful input.
Coordinate with the registration team on special pricing for the event.
Recruit additional volunteers for the Start - preassigned start times are usual and a 3 or 4 minute callup is needed. Ideally find a “Start Crew Chief” who has done this before to organize the start and volunteers.
Consider clothing exchange if there is a remote start.
Recruit someone to assign start times - there are several club members who have done this before.

Appendix 2 - Procedures for Missing Orienteers

Prepare

Consider delaying control collection until the lost competitor is found. Event Director, Course Setter or other suitably experienced person:

Check that the competitor is actually missing – check start/finish data, competitor’s experience, competitor’s family/friends, their car, and call their mobile number.
Ask experienced orienteers to stay to help search.
Appoint a Search Coordinator - could be the Event Director.
Hand over to the Search Coordinator.

Organise

Search Coordinator:

Get copies of the course map and the master map.
Ask if anyone has seen the competitor on course.
Decide on a time at which Emergency Services help should be sought (base on daylight hours remaining, weather conditions, travel time it may take Emergency Services).
Establish a search base.
Organise search teams -e.g. three teams of two people each.
Record searchers’ names.
Hand out a UHF radio to each team. If there is phone reception, swap phone numbers.
Gather and share information about the competitor eg: • Course • Age • Fitness level • Experience and competence • Medical conditions • Clothing
Plan the search with the search teams – use the course map and master map
Send the teams out on the most appropriate search methods and patterns. Examples: • Forwards around the course • In reverse around the course • Around the course perimeter • Along road/track corridors 2
Controls that are on the missing person's course should be retrieved and brought back to the Assembly area. The E-punch team can confirm which controls have been visited by the missing person. This information will help narrow the area to be searched.
Set a return time.

Search

Searchers should have a backpack and carry water, compass, phone, course map, whistle, extra clothing, space blanket, emergency food, basic first aid supplies, pencil or pen, flashlight or head torch.
Pause frequently and look ahead, behind, and side to side.
Call out the person's name, listen.
Do not use whistles unless you find the missing competitor.
If you find items on the course do not remove them. Mark their locations on your map or phone.
If you find the competitor, blow 6 one second whistle blasts at one second intervals and repeat at one minute intervals & phone the Search Coordinator.
If the competitor cannot be moved, & contact cannot be made with the Search Coordinator leave one searcher with the participant while the other one reports to the Search Base.
Administer first aid if required, and request assistance if necessary.
All searchers should return to the Search Base by the predetermined time (if this is not possible, notify Search Coordinator of alternative ETA). -If competitor is not found, Search Coordinator and team must then reassess search strategies and decide on the call to Emergency Services

Event Directing Guidelines