Emergency situations may arise at anytime during athletic events. Expedient action must be taken in order to provide the best possible care to the sport participant of emergency and/or life threatening conditions. The development and implementation of an emergency plan will help ensure that the best care will be provided.

As emergencies may occur at anytime and during any activity, the athletic department must be prepared. Athletic organizations have a duty to develop an emergency plan that may be implemented immediately when necessary and to provide appropriate standards of emergency care to all sports participants. As athletic injuries may occur at any time and during any activity, the sports medicine team must be prepared. This preparation involves formulation of an emergency plan, proper coverage of events, maintenance of appropriate emergency equipment and supplies, utilization of appropriate emergency medical personnel, and continuing education in the area of emergency medicine and planning. Hopefully, through careful pre-participation physical screenings, adequate medical coverage, safe practice and training techniques and other safety avenues, some potential emergencies may be averted. However, accidents and injuries are inherent with sports participation, and proper preparation on the part of the sports medicine team should enable each emergency situation to be managed appropriately.

Components of the Emergency Plan
These are the basic components of this plan:
Emergency personnel
Emergency communication
Emergency equipment
Roles of first responder
Venue directions with map
Emergency action plan checklist for non-medical emergency

With athletic practice and competition, the first responder to an emergency situation is typically a member of the sports medicine staff, most commonly a licensed athletic trainer. A team physician may not always be present at every organized practice or competition. The type and degree of sports medicine coverage for an athletic event may vary widely, based on such factors as the sport or activity, the setting, and the type of training or competition. The first responder in some instances may be a coach or other institutional personnel. Certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, prevention of disease transmission, and emergency plan review is required for all athletics personnel associated with practices, competitions, skills instruction, and strength and conditioning. Copies of training certificates and/or cards are maintained in the Athletic Director’s Office.

The development of an emergency plan cannot be complete without the formation of an emergency team. The emergency team may consist of a number of healthcare providers including physicians, emergency medical technicians, certified athletic trainers; student athletic trainers; coaches; managers; and, possibly, bystanders. Roles of these individuals within the emergency team may vary depending on various factors such as the number of members of the team, the athletic venue itself, or the preference of the head athletic trainer. There are four basic roles within the emergency team. The first and most important role is establishing safety of the scene and immediate care of the athlete. The most qualified individual on the scene should provide acute care in an emergency situation. Individuals with lower credentials should yield to those with more appropriate training. The second role, EMS activation, may be necessary in situations where emergency transportation is not already present at the sporting event. This should be done as soon as the situation is deemed an emergency or a life-threatening event. Time is the most critical factor under emergency conditions. Activating the EMS system may be done by anyone on the team. 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 and address of the sporting event. The third role, equipment retrieval may be done by anyone on the emergency team who is familiar with the types and location of the specific equipment needed. Student athletic trainers, managers, and coaches are good choices for this role. The fourth role of the emergency team is that of directing EMS to the scene. One member of the team should be responsible for meeting emergency medical personnel as they arrive at the site of the emergency. Depending on ease of access, this person should have keys to any locked gates or doors that may slow the arrival of medical personnel. A student athletic trainer, manager, or coach may be appropriate for this role.

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When forming the emergency team, it is important to adapt the team to each situation or sport. It may also be advantageous to have more than one individual assigned to each role. This allows the emergency team to function even though certain members may not always be present.

Communication is the key to quick emergency response. Athletic trainers and emergency medical personnel must work together to provide the best emergency response capability and should have contact information such as telephone tree established as a part of pre-planning for emergency situations. Communication prior to the event is a good way to establish boundaries and to build rapport between both groups of professionals. If emergency medical transportation is not available on site during a particular sporting event then direct communication with the emergency medical system at the time of injury or illness is necessary.

Access to a working telephone or other telecommunications device, whether fixed or mobile, should be assured. 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 public telephone. However, a cellular phone is preferred if available. At any athletic venue, whether home or away, it is important to know the location of a workable telephone. Pre-arranged access to the phone should be established if it is not easily accessible.

All necessary emergency equipment should be at the site and quickly accessible. Personnel should be familiar with the function and operation of each type of emergency equipment. Equipment should be in good operating condition, and personnel must be trained in advance to use it properly.

It is important to know the proper way to care for and store the equipment as well. Equipment should be stored in a clean and environmentally controlled area. It should be readily available when emergency situations arise

Emphasis is placed at having an ambulance on site at high risk sporting events. EMS response time is additionally factored in when determining on site ambulance coverage.

In the medical emergency evaluation, the primary survey assists the emergency care provider in identifying emergencies requiring critical intervention and in determining transport decisions. In an emergency situation, the athlete should be transported by ambulance, where the necessary staff and equipment is available to deliver appropriate care. Emergency care providers should refrain from transporting unstable athletes in inappropriate vehicles. Care must be taken to ensure that the activity areas are supervised should the emergency care provider leave the site in transporting the athlete

The importance of being properly prepared when athletic emergencies arise cannot be stressed enough. An athlete’s survival may hinge on how well trained and prepared athletic healthcare providers are. It is prudent to invest athletic department "ownership" in the emergency plan by involving the athletic administration and sport coaches as well as sports medicine personnel. The emergency plan should be reviewed at least once a year with all athletic personnel, along with CPR and first aid refresher training. Through development and implementation of the emergency plan, the athletic department helps ensure that the athlete will have the best care provided when an emergency situation does arise.