Emergency Procedures

 

Athletic Field Injuries

 

Athletes and Coaches should never move or touch an injured athlete or teammate.  Unless the athletic trainer asks for help, please move away from the injured athlete. 

 

NCAA GUIDELINE TO USE DURING A SERIOUS ON-FIELD PLAYER INJURY

1.      Players and coaches should go to and remain in the bench area once medical assistance arrives.  Adequate lines of vision between the medical staffs and all available emergency personnel should be established and maintained.

2.      Players, parents, administrators and all non-authorized personnel should be kept a significant distance away from the seriously injured player or players.

3.      Players or non-medical personnel should not touch, move, or roll an injured player.

4.      Players should not try to assist a teammate who is lying on the field (i.e. removing the helmet or chin strap, or attempting to assist breathing by elevating the waist).

5.      Players should not pull an injured teammate or opponent from a pile-up.

6.      Once the medical staff begins to work on an injured player, they should be allowed to perform services without interruption or interference.

7.      Players, coaches, and administrators should avoid dictating medical services to the athletic trainers or team physicians or taking up their time to perform such services

 

Bowdoin College Injury Communication Procedures

 

--EMERGENCY PROCEDURE WITHOUT ATHLETIC TRAINER COVERAGE:

ALL COACHES MUST BE CERTIFIED IN CPR AND FIRST AID.

ALL COACHES MUST HAVE A RADIO AT ALL PRACTICES.  CHANNEL 1 CONTACTS ATHLETIC TRAINING ROOM           

 

1.     IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY SITUATION WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF ATHLETIC TRAINER:  ON CAMPUS WITH USE OF A RADIO

A.     CONTACT THE SPORTS MEDICINE STAFF IN THE ATHLETIC TRAINING ROOM VIA RADIO CHANNEL 1

B.    THE COACH SHOULD APPLY APPROPRIATE FIRST AID TO THE ATHLETE UNTIL HELP ARRIVES.

C.   THE PERSON CALLING SHOULD STATE THEIR NAME, SPORT, AND LOCATION.

2.   IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY SITUATION WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF ATHLETIC TRAINER: ON CAMPUS WITH USE OF A PHONE.

A.      THE COACH DIRECTS ONE PERSON TO CALL SAFETY & SAFETY

a.    EMERGENCY PHONE 3500

b.    CELL PHONE (207) 725-3500

B.      THE COACH SHOULD APPLY APPROPRIATE FIRST AID TO THE ATHLETE UNTIL HELP ARRIVES.

C.      THE PERSON MAKING THE CALL SHOULD STATE NAME, LOCATION AND SITUATION.  DO NOT HANG UP UNTIL TOLD TO DO SO.

D.      INFORM DAN 207-837-9607 (cell) WHEN THE SITUATION IS UNDER CONTROL.

3.   IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY SITUATION WITHOUT THE             PRESENCE OF ATHLETIC TRAINER: OFF CAMPUS

A.      THE COACH DIRECTS ONE PERSON TO CALL 911 FROM THE CELL PHONE.

B.      THE COACH SHOULD APPLY APPROPRIATE FIRST AID TO THE ATHLETE UNTIL EMS ARRIVES.

C.      THE PERSON ON THE CELL PHONE SHOULD STATE NAME, LOCATION AND SITUATION.  DO NOT HANG UP THE CELL PHONE UNTIL TOLD TO DO SO.

D.      INFORM DAN 207-837-9607(cell), WHEN SITUATION IS                                                                         UNDER CONTROL.

4. IN A NON-EMERGENCY SITUATION WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF AN ATHLETIC TRAINER: ON CAMPUS                    

A.      THE ATHLETE SHOULD GO INTO THE ATHLETIC TRAINING ROOM IF CAPABLE OF DOING SO.  IF THE ATHLETE IS UNABLE TO WALK THE COACH SHOULD APPLY APPROPRIATE STANDARD FIRST AID PROCEDURES.

5. IN A NON-EMERGENCY SITUATION WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF AN ATHLETIC TRAINER: OFF CAMPUS

A.      THE COACH SHOULD APPLY APPROPRIATE STANDARD FIRST AID PROCEDURES.

B. RETURN THE ATHLETE TO THE ATHLETIC TRAINING ROOM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

C. IF UNABLE TO TRANSPORT CALL 911 FROM A CELL PHONE.

E.      THE ATHLETE MUST SEE DAN, ANDREA, OR MARISA UPON RETURN TO CAMPUS.                      

F.       ICE WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE FIELD HOUSE IN THE STORAGE CLOSET. 

G.      NO MODALITIES (I.E. ULTRASOUND / STIM) CAN BE USED BY ATHLETES WITHOUT THE SUPERVISION FROM A CERTIFIED ATHLETIC TRAINER, NOT A STUDENT.

H.      ATHLETIC TRAINING ROOM WILL BE CLOSED ALL OTHER TIMES.

I.        WATER, CUPS, ICE COOLER, AND TRAINING KIT MUST BE PRESENT AT ALL PRACTICES.

J. RETURN SUPPLIES TO TRAINING ROOM AFTER PRACTICE.

 

EMERGENCY PROCEDURE W/ATHLETIC TRAINER COVERAGE

 

1.  EMERGENCY SITUATION WITHIN MORRELL GYM.

A.    COACH DIRECTS TEAM MEMBER TO ATHLETIC TRAINING ROOM FOR SUPERVISING ATHLETIC TRAINER.

B.     ATHLETIC TRAINER WILL EVALUATE SITUATION AND DETERMINE COURSE OF ACTION.

C.    ATHLETIC TRAINER WILL PROVIDE APPROPRIATE FIRST AID MEASURES AS DEEMED NECESSARY.

D.    IF EMS IS NEEDED THE ASSISTANT COACH CALLS x3500 FROM CAMPUS PHONE IN THE HALL TO STATE EMERGENCY SITUATION.

2.  EMERGENCY SITUATION FROM FIELDS.

A. COACH CALLS ATHLETIC TRAINING ROOM BY WALKIE-TALKIE CHANNEL 1 OR CELL PHONE 725-3018 TO STATE EMERGENCY SITUATION.

B. COACH DIRECTS TEAM MEMBER TO ATHLETIC TRAINING ROOM FOR SUPERVISING ATHLETIC TRAINER.

C. ATHLETIC TRAINER WILL EVALUATE SITUATION AND DETERMINE COURSE OF ACTION.

D. ATHLETIC TRAINER WILL PROVIDE APPROPRIATE FIRST AID MEASURES AS DEEMED NECESSARY.

3.  NON-EMERGENCY SITUATION FOR MORRELL GYM AND FIELDS.

A. COACH CALLS ATHLETIC TRAINING ROOM TO STATE INJURY SITUATION: FIELDS USE THE WALKIE TALKIE CH 1 OR WHEN IN THE GYM USE CAMPUS PHONE TO CALL x3335

B. ATHLETIC TRAINER WILL EVALUATE SITUATION AND DETERMINE TYPE OF INJURY.

C. ATHLETIC TRAINER WILL PROVIDE APPROPRIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION.

D. ATHLETIC TRAINER WILL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE GIVE A REPORT TO THE COACH REGARDING ATHLETES AVAILABILITY.

 
EMERGENCY PROTOCOL FOR THE SPORTS MEDICINE DEPARTMENT
        AND SAFETY AND SECURITY:

A.     SAFETY & SAFETY WILL BE CALLED IF THERE IS AN EMERCENCY.

B.     IF THE SPORTS MEDICINE STAFF CALLS X3500 FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, AN AMBULANCE WILL BE DISPATCHED IMMEDIATELY.

AFTER EMS IS CALLED, A SAFETY & SECURITY OFFICER MAY BE DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE.

 

Bowdoin College Lightning Policy

 

LIGHTNING SAFETY

The following are steps recommended by the NCAA and the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) to mitigate the lightning hazard:

The Sports Medicine Department monitors threatening weather and who makes the decision to remove a team or individuals from an athletics site or event. The Sports Medicine Department will include planned instructions for participants as well as spectators.  

Coaches

-Obtain a weather report each day before a practice or event.  Be aware of potential thunderstorms that may form during scheduled intercollegiate athletics events or practices.

-Be aware of national Weather Service-issued ÒwatchesÓ and ÒwarningsÓ as well as the signs of thunderstorms developing nearby.  A ÒwatchÓ means conditions are favorable for severe weather to develop in an area; a ÒwarningÓ means that severe weather has been reported in an area and for everyone to take proper precautions.

-Know where the closest Òsafe structure or locationÓ is to the field or playing area, and know how long it takes to get to that safe structure or location.[1]

 

Safe structure or location is defined as:

      a.  Any build normally occupied or frequently used by people i.e., a

building with plumbing and/or electrical wiring that acts to electrically ground the structure.  Avoid using shower facilities for safe shelter and do not use the showers or plumbing facilities during thunderstorm.

b.    In the absence of a sturdy, frequently inhabited building, any vehicle with a hard metal roof (not a convertible or golf cart) and rolled-up windows can provide a measure of safety.  A vehicle is certainly better than remaining outdoors.  It is not the rubber tires that make a vehicle a safe shelter, but the hard metal roof that dissipates the lightning strike around the vehicle.  Do not touch the sides of the vehicle.

-Be aware of how close lightning is occurring.  The flash-to-bang method is the easiest way to estimate how far away lightning is occurring.  Thunder always accompanies lightning, even though its audible range can be diminished due to background noise in the immediate environment, and its distance from the observer.  To use the flash-to-bang method, count the seconds from the time the lightning is sighted to when the clap of thunder is heard.  Divide this number by five to obtain how far away (in miles) the lightning is occurring.

 

Specific lightning-safety guidelines have been developed with the assistance of the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL):

1.  As a minimum, the NSSL staff strongly recommends that by the time the monitor obtains a flash-to- bang count of 30 seconds, all individuals should have left the athletic site and reached a safe structure or location.  Athletic events may need to be terminated.

2.    The existence of blue sky and the absence of rain are not protection from lightning.  Lightning can, and does, strike as far as 10 miles away from the rain shaft.  It does not have to be raining for lightning to strike.

3.    If no safe structure or location is within a reasonable distance, find a thick grove of small trees surrounded by taller trees or a dry ditch.  Assume a crouched position on the ground with only the balls of he feet touching the ground, wrap your arms around your knees and lower your head.  Minimize contact with the ground, because lightning current often enters a victim through the ground rather than by a direct overhead strike.  If unable to reach safe shelter, stay away from the tallest trees or objects (such as light poles or flag poles), metal objects (such as fences or bleachers), individual trees, standing pools of water, and open fields.  Avoid being the highest object in a field.  Do not take shelter under a single, tall tree.

4.    A person who feels his or her hair stand on end, or skin tingle, should immediately crouch, as described in item 3.

5.    Avoid using the telephone, except in emergency situations.  People have been struck by lightning while using a landline telephone.  A cellular phone or a portable remote phone is a safe alternative to landline phones, if the person and the antenna are located within a safe structure or location, and if all other precautions are followed.

6.    When considering resumption of an athletics activity, NSSL staff recommends that everyone should ideally wait at least 30 minutes after the last flash of lightning or sound of thunder before returning to the field or activity.

 

People who have been struck by lightning do not carry an electrical charge.  Therefore, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is safe for the responder.  If possible, an injured person should be moved to a safer location before starting CPR.  Lightning-strike victims who show signs of cardiac or respiratory arrest need emergency help quickly.  Prompt, aggressive CPR has been highly effective for the survival of victims of lightning strikes.