With the spring season kicking off, this is the perfect time to make sure you’ve got the first-aid kit in order — and have prepared an Emergency Action Plan (EAP).
Your First AidKit
Every youth coach should have a very basic sideline first-aid kit. You should have this at each training session and game. Remember that this is not meant to beused for comprehensive treatment, but only for immediate sideline first aid. The supplies below should get you through almost any minor to moderate situation and are easily obtained from your localdrug store. (One of the most essential items is your cellular phone. If you have any doubts about the severity of the medical situation, use your phone to call the local emergency medical personnelfor help.)
The absolute bare minimum supplies:
• Instant cold packs (have several of these!).
• Adhesive bandages of assorted shapes and sizes.
• Blister care.
• ACE bandages (3-inch and 4-inch sizes).
• Disposable non-latex gloves (use when you are looking at a cut or abrasion).
• Alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer (for your own hands).
• Antibiotic ointment (individual packets or a tube of Bacitracin works well).
• Sterile gauze bandages.
• Sterile gauzeroll.
• Sterile saline bottle (to gently wash dirt or grass from a cut).
• Saline rinse bottle and Hibiclens bottle (very effective and notpainful to clean an abrasion or cut).
• Athletic tape (1-inch and 2-inch sizes).
• Paramedic scissors.
• Hydrogenperoxide — to get blood off a uniform.
• Plastic bags to dispose of used gauze, etc.
Here are a few extras that are nice tohave:
• Foam underwrap.
• Finger splints (popsicle sticks work well).
• CPR instructions and plasticventilation mask.
• Watertight bags to keep items dry.
Packing it up:
• Keep yoursupplies in a brightly colored bag (red is a popular color for this) so that you can find it quickly.
Your Emergency Action Plan
An Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is a written set of systems and processes that are followed if a serious health orenvironmental condition occurs.
By having a plan and rehearsing it ahead of the season it gives an organization the best possible chance that appropriate steps are taken to address thesituation. This is an area that is often neglected, even at the high school level where state laws might require that schools have and rehearse a plan. When something happens, you absolutelydon’t want to be panicking thinking of “what do we do now?” scenarios.
The Club or Recreational Team:
I wouldn’t expect a club or rec team tohave a formal written plan, but there are three things that come to mind that will really help you a lot.
• Have a first-aid kit! This is a simple thing and I find thatit’s rare that teams actually have basic first aid supplies.
• If you travel to an away game or tournament, enter the local emergency service number ahead of timeinto your mobile. This would be a good thing for a team manager to do. The local number will often be faster than calling 911.
• Coaches and managers should be trained inbasic injury recognition.
Club Directors and Tournament Organizers:
Requirements for tournament organizers will vary a bit by state and your national governing body forsport, as will the requirements for individual clubs.
Here are some key elements you’ll want to include in your EAP:
• Key personnel. Describe theemergency team involved when the EAP is activated and the roles of each person.
• How to communicate. What communication devices are available? Are there areason the ground that don’t have cell service? What number do you call in an emergency? What specific information and directions to the venue must be provided to the EMS response team?
• Emergency equipment. I strongly recommend you have an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) at your main fields or sports complex. The location of equipment shouldbe quickly accessible and clearly listed. Equipment needs to be maintained on a regular basis.
• Who to call for Emergency Transport. Describe the options andestimated response times for emergency transportation.
• Venue directions with a map. This must be specific to each location and provide instructions for easyaccess to the venue. Entryways for emergency vehicles must be unlocked during tournaments or regular practices! Don’t be searching for keys (or the person who has them) during an emergency!
• Roles of first responders. Establish scene safety and immediate care of the athlete, activation of EMS (Emergency Medical Services), equipment retrieval anddirection of EMS to the scene.
How to Get An EAP
Most national governing bodies for sports have guidelines on the types of elements they recommend that you include inan EAP. I’d start with them, but unfortunately I find that most of them are lacking in specific steps you should take. However, I think you’ll find that this
Key Points:
• An Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is a key document that outlines the specific steps taken by a club, tournament director, high school, or individualteam in case of a serious health or environmental emergency.
• Be sure to develop and practice your EAP before the season.
(Dr. Dev K. Mishra, a Clinical Assistant Professor oforthopedic surgery at Stanford University, is the creator of the SidelineSportsDoc.com online injury-management course, now a requirement for