Take (Emergency) Action – Plan!
There are two major issues when it comes to safety; preventing injuries from happening in the first place and properly addressing injuries when they happen through the preparation of an Emergency Action Plan. I have said in the past that these concepts of prevention and preparation play an equal role – that they are two halves of the equation. I was wrong.
The truth is that they are both equal, but that they are not 50/50; they are 100/100. Each concept is the most important thing to occur at different times. Prevention and preparation are two mutually exclusive events.
The most important thing you can do with regard to injuries is to minimize the chance of them happening in the first place. This is done through requiring general good health and nutrition, the use of proper training, following rules, teaching proper landing and spotting techniques, and using recognized skill progressions. Strict adherence to these issues will help keep many injuries from ever happening.
However, that “most important thing” changes at the exact moment that an injury occurs. At that moment, the most important thing you can do is to have already had a practiced emergency action plan in place. An Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is a written document that describes what action will be taken in an emergency situation. That situation may be anything from responding to an injury, a heart failure, a sudden natural disaster like an earthquake or tornado, an internal emergency like a bleach spill in a small area, or even terrorism.
Since the first AACCA Cheerleading Safety Manual was published in 1990 the AACCA has been promoting the use of an EAP and have given live demonstrations of the plan at coaches’ conferences around the world. A free sample EAP has been available online (http://www.aacca.org/eap) since at least June of 2006 and was updated in 2009 to include photos, a powerpoint-style presentation and a video on YouTube. The addition of Tegan Reeves as Associate Director brought another opportunity to further update the EAP to include internal hazards and weather related emergencies as well as a great way to organize and present the EAP with a downloadable flip chart of responsibilities and scripts!
I asked Tegan to comment on her involvement in the review and revision process.
JL: One of your first duties as AED was to review the current Emergency Action Plan.
TR: Yes, I was very excited to begin my position with program review, research and development. Of course the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) was an important first step. Because the action taken (the results from the rehearsal of a plan) can save a life, we felt this would be an important issue to tackle with a thorough review and comparison to existing best practices.
JL: What is your background and experience working with emergency plans?
TR: When I was 15 years old, I experienced the immensity of a properly rehearsed emergency plan. I was a lifeguard at a local pool. The Marion Municipal Pool was larger than most Olympic size pool hosting: 3 separate pools, diving boards and training areas. There were 11 guards on duty at the time, on 9 different stands (coverage areas). When an 8 year old named Brian lost consciousness underwater it was in my coverage area. Although I was the one to pull him out of the water and begin rescue breathing, I know that it was the swift response of the entire safety team that saved his life.
Because we learned, rehearsed and reviewed our EAP every person knew their role and performed it correctly. Because I, at the tender age of 15, was taught to appreciate the responsibility involved I was able to move through the proper steps without question. Because our staff managed risk properly by preparing and practicing an emergency plan, Brian was able to swim with me in the deep end the next week.
Captivated by the influence preparation could have I became actively involved in the local Red Cross and studied Health and Human Performance at Iowa State University. It was my passion for cheerleading and the athletes I worked with that united the two. It brought me to AACCA where I hope to share knowledge that CAN and WILL save a life, just like the pool managers did over a decade ago.
JL: When you reviewed the existing plan, what did you find?
TR: Of course the previous EAP was a very valuable resource, available at no cost, for years. But the work we did to reinvent the plan was to make it a bright, accessible and readable aid to rehearsal. I believe that the rehearsal is the key, not only to a swift and timely action but to helping the athletes understand their responsibility in injury prevention as well as emergency care. Furthermore we wanted to make everyone in the safety team (Coaches, Administrators, Athletes and Parents) aware of risk management as a whole. Something that did really stand out though, was the lack of addressing shelter and evacuation plans for internal hazards such as fire or chemical spills and external hazards like inclement weather. That was added to the new EAP/ESP/EEP diagram with links to existing plans that address these issues.
JL: You came up with a novel way to organize and present the EAP. How did you come up with the idea of having a flip chart?
TR: In researching ways to present the EAP that would help make rehearsals run smoothly, while brining attention to the plan, we found that scripts, role playing (and assigning) and color association were key factors. We also wanted to create something that could be hung up on a wall, and would display the needed action and assigned roles in case of emergency. To merge these concepts we simply cut portions of paper. This created visible layers for easy ‘at a glance’ information, as well as separate scripts and bulleted action points that can be easily detached and used by the person assigned each role. The color coded sheets and graphics stimulate sensory recollection, which aid in role playing and memory. Of course my favorite part is that it looks cool and is a bright reminder of the positive difference a little preparation can make.
Access all of the information on the Emergency Action Plan, including the new downloadable flip chart, at http://www.aacca.org/eap. Then follow the steps to prepare for an emergency and review and practice it monthly.
AACCA has designated the first practice of the month to be the day your team rehearses your emergency action plan. At your First Practice, make Safety First!
Posted: March 19th, 2010 under safety.