When it comes to your EAP, any play can serve as a reminder. This blog focuses on 8 things to include in your Emergency Action Plan.

An A+, 10/10 Emergency Action Plan covers all possible emergency scenarios including but not limited to: active shooter, missing child, medical emergency of a participant, medical emergency of a spectator, weather related policies including heat/cold, lightning, tornado, hurricanes and more.

Those EAPs are venue specific, constantly updated with new contact details, and will fill a 3 ring binder.

While working towards the gold standard, checkout the 8 things that need to be included in the Emergency Action Plan:

  1. The chain of command and roles of medical staff in the event of an emergency. Determine who is calling the shots.
  2. The roles of non-medical staff such as coaches, tournament directors, referees, parents, school admins, etc. In the event of an emergency, know who will unlock the gate; know who will direct the ambulance; know who will manage crowd control.
  3. Note any gates/doors/elevators/stairways that would need to be unlocked or cleared for EMTs to get through.
  4. Locations of the AEDs and additional medical equipment such as splint bags, bag valve masks and supplemental oxygen. Does you school/venue have these? Who can access them? Should these be available?
  5. Weather related policies including heat, cold, lightning and acts of God!
  6. An accurate list of contact numbers for medical staff, facility/school admins, tournament directors and coaches.
  7. Copies of your EAP that are facility-specific, presented and distributed to all staff at the start of an event, game, or season.
  8. The nearest hospital, with an address and contact information, should be listed. There may be several relevant hospitals for larger metropolitan areas. It is also good to add the nearest urgent care and pharmacies, because not every issue will require the emergency department. The visiting team or athletic trainer may not be familiar with the area, but you can make their job easier with accurate options.

     

Remember, your emergency action plan is a living, breathing document. As your events, venues, and personnel change, your plan must also change! Each season, new construction on campus or a new facility director should all prompt a review of the EAP so that it is accurate for the event happening that day.

If you need help or want to chat through your EAP, send a note to the Go4 team.