National Trail High School Emergency
Action Plan
6940 Oxford Gettysburg Rd
New Paris, OH 45347
Introduction:
Emergency situations may arise at
any time during athletic practices and events. Expedient action must be taken
in order to provide the best possible care to the athletes in emergency and/ or
life threatening conditions. Preparation for emergency and/ or life threatening
conditions involves formulation of an emergency action plan, proper emergency
medical personnel, and continuing education in the area of emergency response.
Through careful pre-participation physical screenings, adequate medical
coverage, safe practice and training techniques and other safety avenues;
potential emergencies may be averted. However, accidents and injuries are inherent
with sports participation. Proper preparation on the part of the Department of
Athletics will enable each emergency situation to be managed appropriately.
Emergency Action Plan Personnel:
The first responder to an
emergency situation is, typically, a member of the athletic training, coaching
or physician staff. Certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR),
automated external defibrillation (AED); first aid, prevention of disease
transmission, and Emergency Action Plan review is recommended for any
Department of Athletic personnel associated with practices, competitions,
skills instruction, and strength and conditioning. Certification in
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), automated external defibrillation;
prevention of disease transmission and Emergency Action Plan review is required
for athletic training staff, head, assistant and volunteer coaches and athletic
training students. Coaches are required by the board of education and state
policy to maintain all certifications and turn in copies to the Department of
Athletics. Coaches are required to have a cell phone at their team activities
for emergency use. Coaches are responsible for ensuring that each participating
athlete has an up-to-date physical on file with the Department of Athletics and
a current season’s Emergency Medical Card with the team at all times.
Basic Emergency Response Team:
Certified Athletic Trainer (Corben
Hartzell, 937-621-7459)
Physician
Emergency medical technician
(EMT’s)
Student Trainer
Coach
Basic roles of the emergency response team:
First-immediate care of the athlete:
The most qualified individual on
the scene should provide or direct acute care. Individuals with lower
credentials should yield to those with more appropriate training. The high
school student trainers are only to be used as assistants in retrieval of
equipment or directing EMS.
Life Threatening: EMS personnel;
team medical physician; certified athletic trainer; coach; student trainer
Orthopedic: Team orthopedic
physician; team medical physician; certified athletic trainer; coach; student
trainer
Medical: Team medical physician;
certified athletic trainer; coach; student trainer
Second-EMS activation (911): This should be
done as soon as the situation is deemed an emergency or a life-threatening
event. Activating the EMS system may be done by anyone. However, the person
chosen for this duty should be someone who is calm under pressure and who
communicates well over the telephone. This person should also be familiar with
the location of the injured person and the facility. The following information
should be provided to the dispatcher:
·
Your Name
·
Exact location where the injury occurred and
where you will meet them
·
The number you are calling from
·
Number of injured athletes
·
The condition of the athlete(s)
·
The care being provided
·
Make sure that you hang up only after the
dispatcher has hung up.
·
Then notify the Athletic Trainer if they are not
on site.
Third-equipment retrieval: This is done by a
person who is familiar with the type and location of the specific emergency
equipment needed. If sending students, send them in groups to retrieve
equipment. AED’s are located in all gymnasiums and throughout the hallways of
the school. There is an AED immediately outside of the athletic training office
in the high school gym (near the entrance to the girl’s locker room). When
competing outside, AED’s are located in the Athletic Training Center (weight
room), the Track equipment room (same building as the concession stand), and
one will be in the orange golf cart with the athletic trainer.
Fourth- directing EMS to the scene:
One person should be responsible
for meeting emergency medical personnel as they arrive at the facility. This
person should have keys to any locked gates or doors and should know the
fastest access to the emergency scene. The athletic trainer has a master key.
·
In the event of an emergency at the football stadium or on the track, EMS
will be directed through the main gate near the concession stand to gain access
to the field/track.
·
In the event of an emergency at the football/soccer
practice fields or the baseball field, EMS will enter the main gate and drive
behind the Athletic Training Center and to the left to reach both practice
fields and the baseball field. There is a gate EMS may enter in right field to
gain access to the baseball field.
·
In the event of an emergency at the softball field, EMS will enter the main
gate near the concession stand and then follow the gravel road behind the
concession stand to reach the softball field. The gate to gain access to the
field is along the third base line towards the track.
·
In the event of an emergency in the high school gym, middle school gym, or
elementary school gym, EMS will enter through the main entrance of the
school and take a right for the high school gym, or a left for the middle
school or elementary school gym.
Emergency Communication: Access to a working telephone, fixed or
mobile, should be available during any team workout. The communications system
should be checked prior to each practice or competition to ensure proper
working order. A back-up communication plan should be in effect should there be
failure of the primary communication system
The most common method of
communication is a cellular phone. At any athletic venue, whether home or away,
it is important to know the location of a workable telephone. Pre-arranged
access to a phone should be established. There is a landline phone in the
athletic trainer’s office in the high school gym.
Emergency Equipment: All necessary emergency equipment should be at
the site and quickly accessible. Personnel should be familiar with the function
and operation of emergency equipment on site. Equipment should be in good
operating condition and checked on a regular basis. Equipment will be appropriate
for the sport and venue.
Transportation: Department of Athletics event operations personnel
will coordinate on site ambulances for competitions and tournaments. Ambulances
should have rapid access to the site and a cleared route for entering/exiting.
In the emergency situation, determining transport decisions is the
responsibility for the highest-level trained person on the scene. Department of
Athletics’ staff will not transport injured persons in inappropriate vehicles
(personal). Care must be taken to ensure that the activity areas are supervised
should the emergency care provider leave the site in transporting the injured
person. If a parent or guardian is not present and the athlete must be
transported to the hospital a school staff member should accompany the athlete
if possible and if it does not leave the rest of the team unsupervised.
Media, Crowd and Family Members management: Event operations
personnel and/or coaching personnel will maintain spectators at a distance that
will allow emergency medical personnel access to the patient. A member of the
coaching staff will escort family members to the necessary appropriate area but
still allowing enough distance for the emergency medical personnel to treat
patient. If a parent or guardian steps in and interrupts patient care/ or takes
over the emergency response team will step back as the parent/ guardian has now
accepted responsibility for treating their child. No member of the emergency
response team or Department of Athletics is to give any information to the
media without written consent from the athlete and parent/guardian as per the
law. Spectators with medical credentials do not have appropriate consent to
treat ECS student-athletes; therefore they should only serve as Good Samaritans
upon the request and in coordination of the emergency response team.
Conclusion: The importance
of being properly prepared when athletic emergencies arise cannot be stressed
enough. An injured person’s survival may hinge on the training and preparedness
of Department of Athletic personnel. The Emergency Action Plan should be
reviewed at least once a year with all athletic personnel. Through development
and implementation of the emergency plan, the Department of Athletics ensures
that student athletes will have the best possible care when an emergency
situation does arise.
Severe/ Inclement Weather Policy
National Trail Local Schools will abide and
enforce the OHSAA’s policy on inclement weather adjustments:
Overview:
According to the OHSAA’s
policy, competition or practice should be suspended once lightning has been
recognized or thunder is heard. Wait 30 minutes after the last flash of
lightning is witnessed or thunder is heard prior to resuming practice or
competition. Any subsequent lightning or thunder after the beginning of the
30-minute count shall reset the clock, and another count shall begin. All
personnel, athletes and spectators should evacuate to available safe structures
or shelters.
Details:
Coaches, certified athletic
trainers, athletes, game officials and administrators must be aware of
potential inclement weather and the signs which indicate thunderstorm
development. Every year there are several deaths due to lightning strikes. Over
the last several years there were several athletes in the United States killed
by lightning.
Event Staff will:
Monitor Weather Patterns- Be
aware of potential thunderstorms by monitoring local weather forecasts the day
before and morning of the competition and by scanning the sky for signs of
potential thunderstorm activity.
National Weather Service-
Weather can be monitored using small, portable weather radios from the NWS. The
NWS uses a system of severe storm watches and warnings. A watch indicates
conditions are favorable for severe weather to develop in an area; a warning
indicates severe weather has been reported in an area, and everyone should take
proper precautions.
Excess
Heat Precautions:
National Trail Local Schools
will abide by the OHSAA’S recommendation on heat illness prevention in football
and will extend this rule (with appropriate changes_ to other outdoor sports. The
OHSAA Policy:
Heat
Index under 95 degrees (heat index from 80-95 for other sports)
·
Water
should always be available and athletes should be able to take in as much water
as they desire.
·
Optional
water breaks every 30 minutes for 10 minutes in duration to allow hydration as
a group.
·
Have
towels with ice for cooling of athletes as needed.
·
Watch/
monitor athletes carefully for necessary action.
·
Re-check
temperature and humidity every 30 minutes if temperature rises in order to
monitor for increased Heat Index.
Heat
Index from 95 degrees to 99 degrees
·
Water
should always be available and athletes should be able to take in as much water
as they desire.
·
Mandatory
water breaks every 30 minutes for 10 minutes in duration to allow for hydration
as a group.
·
Have
towels with ice for cooling of athletes as needed.
·
Watch/
Monitor athletes carefully for necessary action.
·
Helmets
and other equipment should be removed when athlete is not directly involved
with competition, drill or practice and it is not otherwise required by rule.
Heat
Index above 104 degrees
Stop
all outside activity in practice and/or play, and stop all inside activity if
air conditioning is unavailable.
Relative
Humidity (%) |
|||||||||||||
|
40 |
45 |
50 |
55 |
60 |
65 |
70 |
75 |
80 |
85 |
90 |
95 |
100 |
110 |
136 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
108 |
130 |
137 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
106 |
124 |
130 |
137 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
104 |
119 |
124 |
131 |
137 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
102 |
114 |
119 |
124 |
130 |
137 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
100 |
109 |
114 |
118 |
124 |
129 |
136 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
98 |
105 |
109 |
113 |
117 |
123 |
128 |
134 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
96 |
101 |
104 |
108 |
112 |
116 |
121 |
126 |
132 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
94 |
97 |
100 |
102 |
106 |
110 |
114 |
119 |
124 |
129 |
135 |
- |
- |
- |
92 |
94 |
96 |
99 |
101 |
105 |
108 |
112 |
116 |
121 |
126 |
131 |
- |
- |
90 |
91 |
93 |
95 |
97 |
100 |
103 |
106 |
109 |
113 |
117 |
122 |
127 |
132 |
88 |
88 |
89 |
91 |
93 |
95 |
98 |
100 |
103 |
106 |
110 |
113 |
117 |
121 |
86 |
85 |
87 |
88 |
89 |
91 |
93 |
95 |
97 |
100 |
102 |
105 |
108 |
112 |
84 |
83 |
84 |
85 |
86 |
88 |
89 |
90 |
92 |
94 |
96 |
98 |
100 |
103 |
82 |
81 |
82 |
83 |
84 |
84 |
85 |
86 |
88 |
89 |
90 |
91 |
93 |
95 |
80 |
80 |
80 |
81 |
81 |
82 |
82 |
83 |
84 |
84 |
85 |
86 |
86 |
87 |
1.16) Conduct of Practice
Sessions
1.16.1) Thirty (30) minutes
prior to the start of activity, temperature and humidity readings should be
taken at the site.
1.16.2) The temperature and
humidity should be factored into the Heat Index Calculation and Chart and a
determination made as to the Heat Index. If schools are utilizing a digital
sling psychrometer that calculates the Heat Index, that number may be used to
apply to the table.
1.16.3) If a reading is
determined whereby activity is to be decreased (above 95 degrees Heat Index),
then re-readings would be required every thirty (30) minutes to determine if
further activity should be
eliminated or preventative
steps taken, or if an increased level of activity can resume.
1.16.4) Using the following
scale, activity should be altered and/or eliminated based on this Heat Index as
determined.
1.16.5) This procedure is to be
used until such time as the temperature is below 84 degrees as no combination
of heat and humidity at that level will result in a need to curtail activity.
Quick Reference Emergency Procedures
When an injury occurs on the
field or court of play, the following EMERGENCY PROCEDURES should be followed
whenever possible.
It is understood that the head
coach is responsible for dealing with all injuries to his or her players in the
event that an Athletic Trainer or Doctor are unavailable.
The following procedures should
be taken when an injury occurs:
1.
The
Athletic Trainer or Doctor will go onto the field or court and evaluate the
injured player(s).
2.
If the
injury is serious, the coach/ assistant coach or student trainer should call
911 and give the following information;
a.
Your
name
b.
Exact
location and address of the injured athlete(s)
c.
The
closest entrance information to the field or court nearest the athlete
d.
Number
of injured athletes and type of injury
e.
Care
being provided
f.
Number
you are calling from
g.
Hang up
last
3.
Send
someone to meet EMS
4.
Contact
the parents as soon as possible if they are not present at the sporting event
or practice
5.
Retrieve
EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARD and any necessary medical equipment.
6.
Control
crowd to keep person safe
7.
If the
parents are unavailable, the player’s coach or assistant coach should accompany
the athlete to the hospital.
8.
The
Athletic Trainer will alert the head coach of a player’s status and when he or
she may return to the game or practice
9.
A report
of all injuries should be kept in the Athletic Training Room, via Epic and/or
FinalForms
a.
Coaches
should also keep a record of all injuries that happen under their supervision.
b.
This is
to prevent future liability issues from arising.
10.
The
school’s attendance and principal’s office should be notified regarding any
serious injury to an athlete that may cause absence or special arrangements due
to their injury.
11.
It is
not recommended, for insurance reasons, that any specific doctor or clinic be
directed by a coach.
12.
Emergency
Medical Authorization Cards should be with the coach at ALL
practices and games for that team, either via FinalForms or printed.
13.
Coaches
should keep their cell phones with them or in close proximity to them at all
times in case of an emergency.
14.
All
coaches should have keys to all the necessary gates and entrances to practice
or game facilities. This should promote fast and prompt care to a seriously
injured athlete.
NOTE: If there is ever any doubt about the condition of an injured
athlete call 911!!!