Athletic Emergency Action Plan:

New-Hope Solebury High School

182 W. Bridge St.

New Hope, PA 18938

 

The purpose of the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is to guide high school and athletic personnel, emergency medical services, and the New Hope Police Department in responding to emergency situations when they occur.  It is essential that the Athletic Department have a developed emergency plan that identifies the role of each member of the emergency response team, emergency communications, the necessary emergency equipment and the emergency protocol for each sporting venue.

 

Emergency Personnel:

Certified athletic trainers are employed to provide leadership in the health care of the student-athlete including the emergency management of injuries and illnesses during athletic participation, under the direction of the team physician.

Coaches are required to be trained and maintain certification in first aid and CPR.  Their role is to provide assistance to the ATC as part of the emergency medical team in the event of an emergency.

Chain of Command:

1. The chain of command (in attendance) during severe or catastrophic injury will be as follows:

1. Emergency Medical Technicians (if present)
2. Team Physician (if present)
3. Certified Athletic Trainer
4. Qualified Coaches
2. Once the EMT’s become involved with the injury, they are in control and have final say over any athlete.
3. When present, the team physician will take command and make any necessary decisions on the well fare of the athlete.
4. In the absence of the team physician the ATC will be in control of the care of the athlete and any decisions necessary.
5. If the team physician and ATC are not present, the next person on the Chain of Command is in charge.

 

Assignments:

• Team Physician (if present) stays with athlete.
• Certified Athletic Trainer, when team physician not present, stays with athlete.
• Head coach maintains crowd control/non-injured athletes, contacts parents (if not already present).
• Site manager (if present) or assistant coach calls 911, waits for ambulance, ensures accessibility of rescue squad.
• Assistant coach retrieves necessary emergency equipment and obtains athlete’s emergency consent form.

 

Immediate care of the injured or ill athlete(s)

There shall be at least one trained individual at all practices and competitive events.  The minimal training is first aid.  These individuals include the ATC or coach.  These individuals are to follow appropriate emergency first aid steps that they are trained for in order to care for the injured or ill athlete.

Activation of Emergency Medical System (EMS)

One member of the emergency care team will be directed to activate EMS.  This can be done using a cell phone. ONLY ONE PERSON SHOULD HAVE THE ROLE OF CONTACTING EMS.  This individual must be calm, have an understanding of the emergency, communicate well, and be able to identify the location of the emergency.  EMS is activated by dialing “911”.

 

Directing EMS to the scene

An individual should go to meet EMS.  Make sure at least ONE trained individual remains with the injured or ill athlete at all times.  If no other trained individuals are present, a student-athlete, parent or other bystander should be asked to assist with direction.

EMS Entrances: Numbers indicate fields as labeled on map (Appendix A)

Track, Stadium, Football Practice (1,2)

The track and stadium are located behind the student/faculty parking lot at NH-S.  Enter the parking lot at the “West Entrance” (next to “The Living Earth” garden shop) off of W. Bridge Street.  Continue straight through parking lot and pass through the access gate onto paved path.  The track and stadium entrance is off the path to the left where the fence starts on the west side.

From 202 Spur: Enter at the “North Entrance,” take the first right into the Upper Elementary School, and a dirt path will begin at the back end of the parking lot.  Follow the path to the top of the hill.  Take a left to get to the stadium.

 

Bridge Street Field, Tennis Courts, MS Soccer (9,10,11)

The EMS should report to the student/faculty parking lot located at the “East Entrance” of off W. Bridge Street.  Upon arrival, the EMS personnel should be directed accordingly to where the injured student-athlete is located.

From 202 Spur: Enter at the “North Entrance” and be directed accordingly.

 

HS Soccer, Baseball, Softball, Lacrosse, MS Field Hockey (3,4,5,6,7,8,12)

The EMS should enter at the “North Entrance,” take the first right into the Upper Elementary School, and a dirt path will begin at the back of the parking lot.  Follow the path to the top of the hill.  The soccer fields lie straight ahead, and the softball and baseball fields lie to the right.

From W. Bridge Street: Enter at the “East Entrance” and take a left into the Upper Elementary School across from the tennis courts.  Follow directions above.

 

Gymnasium

The gymnasium is located on the west side of the school.  Enter the parking lot at the “East Entrance” from W. Bridge Street.  After entering the parking lot, bear to the left (toward the school) and go to the Theater Entrance.  Enter the school through these doors and follow the hall to the end. The Middle School gym is on the left, halfway down the hall and the High School gym is at the end of the hall on the right.

Athletic Injury or Illness Emergency Protocol

The following procedures are to be carried out by the ATC, coach, or first responder in the event of injury or illness to a student-athlete.

An ATC will be present at all Varsity Home contests, most middle school contests and practices.  In the event of multiple events occurring at Home, each venue will have the ATC’s cellular phone number that is to be used to contact the ATC in the event of an emergency.

1. Home events occurring at New Hope-Solebury High School Facilities:
   1. MEDICAL EMERGENCIES include:
      1. Breathing cessation
      2. Severe Bleeding
      3. Concussion with loss of consciousness
      4. Suspected neck or spinal injury
      5. fracture
      6. dislocation
      7. eye or face injury
      8. heat related illness
      9. any other injury or illness resulting in poor vital signs, such as decreased blood pressure, weak pulse or signs of shock
         1. 1. 1. 1. Follow the Emergency Action Principles and provide appropriate first aid care
                  2. Activate EMS by calling 911.  Provide EMS with the following information:
                     1. Identify yourself and your role in the emergency
                     2. Specify your location and telephone number
                     3. Give name(s) and age(s) of injured/ill athlete(s)
                     4. Give condition of injured/ill athlete(s)
                     5. Give time of incident
                     6. Give care being provided
                     7. Give specific directions to the scene of the emergency
                     8. Do not hang up until directed to do so by the EMS dispatcher
                  3. Monitor vital signs
                  4. Be calm and reassure athlete
                  5. Notify ATC as soon as possible
                  6. Notify parent(s) of student-athlete(s) as soon as possible
                  7. If parent is present, they will accompany athlete to the hospital; if no parent is present an assistant coach should accompany the athlete to the hospital
                  8. Incident will be documented via the school accident report.  The accident report will be sent to the athletic director, school nurse, school principal and superintendent as soon as possible (no more than 6 hours).
                  9. Provide follow-up care as necessary
   2. NON-Emergencies include:
      1. Sprains
      2. Strains
      3. Concussion (with no loss of consciousness)
      4. Illness
      5. Abrasions
      6. Minor cuts
      7. Contusions
         1. 1. 1. 1. Provide appropriate first aid care