EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN – Overview
Emergency Action Plan (EAP) – is a comprehensive, detailed plan outlining what constitutes a life-threatening or serious illness or injury and the procedures to be followed to ensure the response to an emergency is rapid, appropriate, controlled, and precise.
When to Activate the EAP
Serious and life-threatening illnesses and injuries include but are not limited to:
- Unresponsiveness (loss of consciousness)
- Respiratory distress (anaphylactic shock, asthma attack, hyperventilation) or arrest
- Cardiac distress (heart attack, stroke) or arrest
- Serious head or spinal injury
- Major fracture (skull/face, spine, pelvis, femur, open/unstable fracture)
- Major bleed
- Major chest or abdominal injury
- Diabetic emergency
- Shock
- Seizure
- Environmental concerns (lightning strike, heat stroke, hypothermia)
- Opioid overdose
EAP Personnel – Roles & Responsibilities
The following roles should be assigned at the start of a season, event, or game.
The responsibilities of each role should be reviewed and understood by all team/support personnel.
Charge Person –
Responsibilities (in order of priority):
- Assess the scene and the athlete and determine the need for more advanced care.
- Direct the Call Person to call EMS/911.
- Provide/coordinate pre-hospital care for the athlete, only to the level of their first aid training (i.e., CPR, AED, injury stabilization, treatment for shock, etc.).
- Provide pertinent information to EMS personnel (details about the individual’s condition, vital signs, allergies, medical conditions, health insurance information, etc.).
- Determine who will accompany the athlete to the hospital.
Call Person(s) –
Responsibilities (in order of priority):
- Call EMS/911 when they are advised to do so by the charge person.
- If on campus:
- Call campus security to coordinate directing EMS/911 to the location of the injured athlete. If Security is occupied at the time of the EMS/911 call, the Call Person and other coaches/team personnel need to be prepared to direct the ambulance to the location of the ill/injured individual.
- Call Athletic Therapy so someone can be dispatched to your location to take over the responsibility of the Charge Person.
- Arrange for the athletes’ emergency contact (if not present) to be appropriately notified of the situation.
Support Person – Responsibilities (in order of priority):
- Retrieve first aid and/or emergency equipment when they are advised to do so by the charge person.
- Assist the charge person with pre-hospital care for the ill/injured individual (i.e., CPR, AED, injury stabilization, treatment for shock, keeping the athlete calm etc.)
- Recording pertinent details, as directed by the charge person (athlete medical information, vital signs, etc.).
Control Person(s) –
Responsibilities (in order of priority):
- Keep athletes and bystanders (including parents) calm and away from the situation.
- Open access gates and clear the path for EMS vehicle/personnel.
Transportation / Accompaniment – if an athlete needs to be taken to the hospital by ambulance (and the athletes' parents are not present):
A COACH or Head of House will be required to accompany the athlete to the hospital.
- This person can ride in the ambulance with the athlete or follow the ambulance in a personal vehicle. They will remain at the hospital with the athlete until a parent or guardian arrives. This role can be assigned to either the call person, control person, or a different coach/SAC representative altogether.
On Campus EAP's:
