It is that time of year when school is starting and so are the practices, games and competitions.  Are you set up and prepared in the event of an emergency?

It is essential that this plan be tailored to fit your specific situation.  You may want to write variations of your plan for practice, home games and away games.

Be prepared

• Information Cards (for every team member) include the following:
  (a sample is included)

• Full Name

• Team member's home address

• Team member's e-mail address

• Team member's parent's phone numbers and two emergency numbers (cell, beeper numbers)

• Allergies

• Previous injuries

• Family doctor's name and contact information

• Copy of insurance card and / or school insurance number

• During Practice, you must have access to a telephone.  Post the following information near a phone:

• 911 for emergencies, or whatever number you must dial in the case of an emergency

• Your school's or practice facility's complete address and phone number

 The Plan

• Assignments

• During the emergency, the coach will stay with the injured person.

• Have a reliable person call 911, or your emergency number.  Give the exact location and the basic information on the injury (head injury, broken leg, etc) and tell the ambulance service where to enter (south end of the field by the big gym)

• Send someone to meet the ambulance and direct it to the correct location.

• If you go with the injured person, cancel all other activities.  (the squad must be supervised)
  

You may wish to practice the emergency plan so that you are sure where the emergency services would enter and that everyone knows how the emergency plan works.  Also to make sure that a thought route of entrance is not blocked in some matter.

For away games, meet with the other team's cheerleading or dance advisor/coach to confirm the location of the medical staff and telephone.  Any away game emergency plan should also include a passenger list.  Make a list of each vehicle's driver and passengers (check your school's travel policy on eligible drivers!)  Keep one copy in each vehicle and one copy with someone at the school in case of emergency.  As with the home emergency plan, check all procedures with your athletic trainer, coach, principal and campus security.

Give copies of all plan(s) to your supervisor, to the campus police, to the athletic trainer, and to all squad members.

Included is a sample emergency phone list.  Retype this sheet for each situation (practice, home game, away game, etc.) and fill in the appropriate emergency numbers and addresses.  It may seem like a lot of trouble to go through, but it will be well worth it in the event of an emergency.  Be sure to keep one copy of the emergency phone list in the squad notebook.

Also, make sure you have a copy of a medical release form for every squad / team participant at every event (practice, games, competitions).