Emergency Action Plan

What is an Emergency Action Plan (EAP)?

How to Activate your Emergency Action Plan

Steps to Follow When an Injury Occurs

What is an Emergency Action Plan (EAP)?

As the coach you are responsible for the safety and welfare of your players. An Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is a plan designed by coaches to assist them in responding to emergency situations. The idea behind having such a plan prepared in advance is that it will help you respond in a responsible and clear-headed way if an emergency occurs.

An EAP should be prepared for the facility or site where you normally hold practices and for any facility or site where you regularly host competitions. For away competitions, ask the host team or host facility for a copy of their EAP. Your EAP should be prepared at the start of the season, not when an accident occurs.

An EAP can be simple or elaborate but should cover the following items:

  1. Designate in advance who is in charge in the event of an emergency (as the coach this may very well be you).
  2. Have a cell phone with you and make sure the battery is fully charged. If this is not possible, find out exactly where a telephone is located. Have spare change in case you need to use a pay phone.
  3. Have emergency telephone numbers with you (facility manager, fire, police, ambulance) as well as contact numbers (parents/guardians, next of kin, family doctor) for the participants.
  4. It is recommended to have a medical profile for each participant on hand so this information can be provided to emergency medical personnel. This information will be on you team list.
  5. Prepare directions to provide to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to enable them to reach the site as rapidly as possible. You may want to include information such as the closest major intersection, one way streets, or major landmarks.
  6. Have a first aid kit accessible and properly stocked at all times (all coaches are strongly encouraged to pursue first aid training).
  7. Designate a “call person” (the person who makes contact with medical authorities and otherwise assists the person in charge) in advance. Be sure that your call person can give emergency vehicles precise instructions to reach your facility or site.

Emergency Action Plan Checklist

Follow and complete the check list for each game or practice. Your EAP may not change too much during the season. Some of the information required below will be provided, such as directions to the ball diamonds.

Also your player or team list will have a list of contact names and phone numbers. Do not always assume a parent will be at the game or practice.

Access to telephone

Directions to access the site

Participant information

Personnel information

The medical profile of each participant should be up to date and located in the first aid kit.

A first aid kit must be accessible at all times and must be checked regularly.

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How to Activate your Emergency Action Plan

Prior to any home game, three roles must be designated: 1. Charge Person, 2. Call Person, 3. Control Person

1. Charge Person

This person must have Emergency First-Aid training, knowledge of sports related injuries and how the Emergency
Action Plan works. This could very well be the coach. Responsibilities for the Charge Person include:

2. Call Person

This person is to be designated by the Charge Person before the game begins. Could be your assistant coach or a
parent. Responsibilities for the Call Person include:

3. Control Person

This person is also to be designated by the Charge Person before the game begins. Head coaches or referees are
good choices for such a role. Responsibilities for the Control Person include the following:

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Steps to Follow When an Injury Occurs

Note: It is recommended that emergency situations be simulated during practice to familiarize coaches and athletes
with the steps below.

Charge Person

  1. When making initial contact with the injured athlete, stay calm, take control and assess the situation.
  2. Instruct all other players and bystanders to leave the injured player alone.
  3. If the player is bleeding, take universal precautions to prevent disease transmission before treating the injury. Wear barriers for your own protection.
  4. Do not move the player. Remember: If the player can not initiate a movement voluntarily, do not move the body part for the player.
  5. Leave the player's equipment in place.
  6. Evaluate the injury. Once you have assessed the severity of the injury, decide whether or not to call for further assistance.
  7. If an ambulance is required, notify your Call Person and give a brief explanation of the injury and the care being given and tell the person to call for the ambulance.
  8. If an ambulance is not required, then decide what action is to be taken to remove the injured player from the playing field without aggravating the injury.
  9. When waiting for the ambulance, observe the player carefully for any change in his/her condition or level of consciousness, and reassure them that professional help is on the way.
  10. Do not be forced or intimidated into moving an injured player unnecessarily just to be able to continue with the game.

Call Person

  1. Know the location of the cellular phone (and how to operate it) or the location of land phones available for placing a call in an emergency. This may take some planning in remote locations or at fields with which you are not familiar. Do not rely on others to find these for you after an emergency has occurred.
  2. Prepare a list of emergency numbers to be used if required (ambulance, fire, police, and doctors) or check, upon arrival, that the area has 911 service.
  3. Know the name of the location and the directions to the field where the injury has occurred. This will save time and confusion particularly if the location has several playing areas.

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