Emergency Medical Plans Essential For Youth Sports Safety

An emergency medical plan should include an established set of actions to follow in the event of a medical emergency during a youth sports practice or game.

The plan should identify:

• Who will provide emergency first aid, including using an automatic external defibrillator (AED) in the event a player or spectator goes into cardiac arrest, such as from a blow to the chest causing commotio cordis.

• Who and how paramedics or Emergency Medical Services (EMS) will be called

• Who will monitor non-injured members of the team during an emergency

• How parents will be notified in the event of an emergency

The plan should also make sure that:

• Emergency medical devices are available, including:
  

  • AEDs

  • Rescue inhalers, peak flow meters (or portable spirometers) for each athlete with asthma (in case of emergencies, a nebulizer should also be available).

  • EpiPens for anaphylaxis etc.) are readily available at all times and that coaches are educated in their use

• Coaches/team moms/athletic trainers are familiar with appropriate community resources and have a fully functional telephone (mobile or cellular) available, pre-programed with emergency medical care access numbers.

• Emergency phone numbers and a list of medical conditions for each player are readily available at all practices and games.