Taken from our Policies document, the following is recommended
4.2
Weather and Other Issues
The safety of all
participants is the prime concern of all umpires when it comes to inclement
weather, temperatures, air conditions, fitness of field conditions, or other
circumstances/ conditions.
4.2.1 Prior to the start of each season, associations will be reminded
by the RDSUA that the home team for each game has certain responsibilities as
follows:
– Decide by 4:30 pm on the day of the game as to whether conditions allow for the game to start. If it is judged the conditions are unsafe/unsuitable to start the game, the home team is to notify the RDSUA and the visiting team that the game has been cancelled.
Contact the assigner by
- texting or phoning Lisa at (403) 877-4708
- or (as a last resort) emailing the assignor
Factors to be considered include:
- Rain is heavy, has caused water to
pool on the diamond, and/or caused unsafe field conditions.
- Forecasted temperature in the host
community at the start of the game is less than 10 degrees Celsius.
- Environment Canada has indicated significant air quality issues by
setting the air quality index at 7 or above on a scale of 10 in the host
community area.
- Other circumstances (for example, tornado or thunderstorm warnings,
natural disaster, etc)
4.2.2 Once a game is underway (at the conclusion of the plate
conference), the decision on whether a game continues is the responsibility of
the plate umpire. The plate umpire’s decision to stop and/or end a game will be
based on the following factors:
- Temperature dips significantly.
- Rain is hard enough that it causes a visibility issue,
water starts to pool, or field conditions become unsafe.
- Thunder is heard 30 seconds or less after seeing
lightning. Game is delayed until 30 minutes after the last occurrence.
- Field conditions become unsafe for any reason.
- Wind causes visibility issues or other hazards.
- Any other situation that develops during the game
which the plate umpire deems to impact the safety of the participants.
4.2.3 If more than one diamond is being used at the same facility,
if the decision is made by an RDSUA umpire to stop a game on one diamond due to
weather issues, all other diamonds staffed by RDSUA umpires will stop as well.
