Emergency Action Plan

The purpose of this document is to provide instructions to members of the Cecil College Athletic Department in the event of a medical emergency regarding student-athletes.  An emergency is any sudden life threatening injury or illness that requires immediate medical attention.  Emergency situations can occur at any time during athletic participation.  Expedient action must be taken in order to provide the best possible treatment.  This emergency plan will help ensure the best care is provided.

The Cecil College Department of Athletics is responsible for the health and well-being of the student-athletes who participate in our intercollegiate program.  An emergency plan that can be implemented immediately and one that provides appropriate standards of health care to all sports participants is of paramount importance.  Accidents and injuries are inherent with sports participation, but when treated by trained personnel, the magnitude of an incident can be greatly reduced.  The athletic department must be prepared to handle any athletic injury at any time during practice or competition.  Hopefully, potential emergencies will be avoided by thorough pre-participation screenings of all athletes.  Also, safe practices, including training techniques, and adequate medical coverage should be taken into consideration.

There are three basic components of this plan: Emergency Personnel, Emergency Communication, and Emergency Equipment.

Emergency Personnel

The first responder to almost all athletically related emergency situations will be the certified athletic trainer.  The type and degree of sports medicine coverage for an athletic event (practice or contest) may vary based on factors such as the particular sport or activity, the setting, and the type of training or competition.  In the event of the athletic trainer’s absence, the first responder may be a coach or other institutional personnel.  Due to the possibility of this scenario the Cecil College Department of Athletics requires all coaches and athletic department personnel to have and maintain CPR certification.

The emergency team consists of members from diverse healthcare professions, including physicians, emergency medical technicians, certified athletic trainers, coaches, managers, campus security, and possibly bystanders.  Roles of these individuals within the emergency team may vary depending on various factors such as number of members of the team, the athletic venue itself, or the preference of the head certified athletic trainer.  Roles within the emergency team include:

1. Immediate care of the athlete
2. Emergency equipment retrieval
3. Activation of EMS
4. Directions to the emergency site 

A. Immediate Care of the Athlete

The first and most important role is immediate care of the athlete.  Acute care in an emergency situation should be provided by the most qualified individual on the scene.  Individuals with lower credentials should yield to those with more appropriate training.  This should be determined in advance of each training session.

B. Emergency Equipment Retrieval

The second 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.  Athletic department personnel, assistant coaches, and mangers are good staff members for this role.

C. Activation of EMS

The third role, EMS activation, should be done as soon as the situation is deemed an “emergency” of “life threatening event”.  Time is the most critical factor.  Activating EMS may be done by anyone on the team.  However, the person chosen for this duty should be someone who is calm under pressure, who communicates well, and who is familiar with the location of the sporting event.  STEPS FOR ACTIVATION ARE NOTED BELOW.

D. Directions to the Emergency Site

After EMS has been activated, one member of the team should be responsible for meeting the emergency medical personnel as they arrive at the site of the contest.  Depending on ease of access, this person should have keys to any locked gates or doors that may hinder the arrival of medical personnel. 

Activation of EMS

Campus Phone: Dail 9, then 911 for EMS

Emergency Call Box: Hit the red button

Cecil College Public Safety: Dial ext. 1605 on any campus phone or (443) 907-3887 for "on call" Public Safety Officer.

Off Campus: Dial 911for EMS

Providing necessary information:

1. Name, address and telephone number of caller
2. Number of injured student-athlete(s) or other individual(s)
3. Condition of the student-athlete(s) or other individual(s)
4. First aid treatment initiated by first responder
5. Venue specific directions
6. Other information as requested by the dispatcher
7. Be the last one to hang-up

Emergency Communication

Communication is the most critical aspect of the emergency plan. All members of the emergency team must work together to provide to best possible care and safest environment.

All coaches will have a cell phone at each practice or competition to communicate with the athletic trainer. All athletic department personnel will have a hand held campus radio tuned to channel 2.

Access to a working telephone, whether fixed or mobile, is paramount to any situation and should be assured.  The communications systems should be tested before every practice or contest to ensure their working status.

Emergency Equipment

Emergency equipment will be on site and easily accessible at every athletic venue. AED’s are located in the physical education complex on both levels and in the athletic training suite. All emergency plan personnel need to be familiar with the function and operation of all emergency equipment.

Cecil College Emercency Numbers