Safety Plan
for
[Dutchman Flat National O Championships, 27–28 Aug
2005]
Overview
Summary: This
document contains the Safety Plan, a list of key safety personnel, and communications
considerations for the [2005 USOF National Individual
Championships at
The plan includes information on Prevention, First Aid, the Medical Team, Search and Rescue (“SAR”), Ambulance, Police, Fire, and Evacuation. See the headings below.
Sources,
standards, principal author: This
Safety Plan is designed to satisfy the “Checklist for USOF A-Meets,” items #36
and #44[1]; the
Plan has been prepared in consultation with the “Sample Emergency Plan for Meet Directors.”[2] The principal author is [Philip Kollas of CROC], Safety Officer for the
Champs. The plan further incorporates
the [Columbia River Orienteering Club (“CROC”) Safety
Procedure Policy[3]]--which
also applies at this meet. See
Attachment 2.
Key
Safety Personnel
Safety Officer,
SAR Coordinator, 1st-Aid Coordinator: [Philip Kollas, EMT-B]
RN: [Name]
Paramedics
and primary SAR team: [Names,
affiliation]
Remote
(mid-course) aid station EMT: [Name]
Secondary
resources: volunteer search personnel—[Name] and other staff members, as needed to
supplement the [primary SAR team]
Also, on call:
[locality] Fire & Rescue; [locality]
PLAN
Step 1: Prevention
Weather Forecasts: To allow preparation for the day’s expected weather, the Champs staff will provide daily morning postings and will provide oral updates if necessary to reduce the risk of serious inclement weather catching participants unawares. NOAA Weather Radio station [call sign and frequency] for [locality], which provides regularly updated official weather forecasts from the National Weather Service, will serve as a minimum source of information. The Safety Officer will ensure that the official forecast for the day is available to the Meet Director and Champs participants before the start of that day’s events.
Safety Notices in the registration packet & on site: These will provide safety information to all participants. Standard information has been printed in the official meet Program as well as some on the [event] Web site. Additional information regarding dehydration and altitude sickness [or other local hazards] is in handout materials. Safety information will be updated on site as necessary (e.g., fire hazards, weather hazards, medical hazards such as excessive heat, unusual altitude, etc.). These on-site updates will be made available in a central area designed for maximum visibility, such as at the Start Area for the day.
Safety
requirements of all competitors: The requirement for each competitor to carry
a whistle, to fill out a safety card at registration, and to follow the
published safety azimuth of 180° [or other as
applicable]if lost on the course all contribute to prevention of
long-term missing runners.
Water on the courses,
for competitors: Water controls reduce the risks of
dehydration. These control points are
noted on the Control Descriptions (Clue Sheet).
Nurse at the Start
Area aid station: Having an on-site Registered Nurse, one
experienced in tending to orienteering-related ailments, provides an added measure
of available prevention.
PLAN
Step 2: Communications
Methods, radios, cell phones: Three types of communications between staff members will allow the other steps of this plan to work smoothly. These three are GMRS two-way radio, runner, and cell phone as emergency backup.[4] The PJs, our primary paramedics, will use their own radios that are tuned to our frequency. Other safety personnel and general staff will use commercially available GMRS radios, which are being provided by CROC and ORCA staff.
Frequencies, ranges, radio priorities, relay hill: The primary means of communication will be GMRS radio; a few lower-powered FRS radios will also be used in certain areas. General staff usage will be on [Channel 5, sub-channel (privacy code or CTCSS) 5, i.e., 5 X 5]. The frequency for this channel is [462.6625 MHz; privacy code 79.7 Hz]. This frequency is in the shared GMRS/FRS range, allowing us to make use of some FRS units for short-range communications without the need for a second channel. Everyone will be able to talk with everyone on a single channel, whether using GMRS or FRS radio.
In the event a search or medical emergency arises, all safety/medic personnel and one Meet Director will go to [channel 3, subchannel 3 (462.6125 MHz and 74.4 Hz)]. All other traffic will remain on the general-use channel so as to leave the search comms free for emergency transmissions.
These radios have varying ranges. To provide the best comms available for the longer distances, the higher-powered radios will be assigned to those needing the greatest range. Comms between closer stations can use the medium-powered and lower-powered radios. See Attachment 1 for details.
To increase the effective range of communications into the upper reaches of the courses, the Safety Officer will maintain a relay post at his remote aid station, which is [on a prominence] roughly in the middle of the map. Tests have shown that this point can communicate with all lower points (Start & Finish Areas) by using a 3-watt GMRS radio. If communications are necessary beyond this hill, such as in an emergency search, the Safety Officer will serve as a relay between the higher search personnel and the lower staff, principally the Meet Director. At least one staff member will remain available as supplemental search person and will carry a 3-watt or higher-powered GMRS radio when so acting. No searcher will be without radio comms in his/her immediate party.
Procedures: Everyone using a radio is responsible for maintaining fresh batteries in his/her radio—extra batteries are available from [equipment coordinator].
Transmissions require about one full second of dead time before any speech is picked up and sent by the radio. Thus, the procedure for transmitting is this: PRESS—PAUSE—SPEAK. Do not simply key the mike and start talking, as the audience will not hear the first word or two.
Transmissions should each be limited to 30 seconds maximum. It is best to first establish contact (e.g., “Finish-line [staff] from Safety Officer, do you copy?”) and await a reply before undertaking any message of substance. This avoids needless blockage of air time if the intended audience is not currently available. Do not make vague calls such as “Anybody there?” This causes confusion. In initial calls to a given party, state the name or staff position you are hailing and then your own staff position or name (see example earlier in this paragraph).
To ask for a repeat of someone’s transmission, simply transmit, “Say again.” This is universally understood and is very quick.
Loss-of-Comm procedures: The backup
plan is as follows:
Single radio out: check batteries, replace as needed; use
backup radio if necessary (may need to borrow one)
Single station does not reply: relay through
anyone else (by radio or runner if necessary)
Station
out—cannot transmit: send runner and, if an emergency, use cell
phone. Attempt to borrow backup radio.
PLAN
Step 3: First Aid
Locations,
personnel: Three fixed sites
(relatively speaking) and a small team of mobile medical personnel will provide
a good array of locations, quick access, and capabilities. Each day’s Start Area and Finish Area will
have fixed medical stations—a tent or canopy at the Start area with our RN, [name], staffing it plus a station at the Finish
Area with one or more paramedics staffing it.
In addition, the Finish Area medic station will be the “office” for the [paramedic] team leader, [name],
who will supervise his paramedics and dispatch them as necessary. One remote aid station will be set up [at the 6,500’ level on a hilltop] roughly halfway
into the map, staffed by one EMT ([name]) and
possibly another EMT from the [paramedic]
team, as needs dictate. This hilltop is
clearly marked on the map with the standard IOF symbol for “aid station.” Signs and flagging/streamers will mark the
route to this hilltop aid station from [the two
nearby trails].
Available
services: Short of having a
fully staffed Emergency Room and physician on site, we will be able to provide a
good array of emergency medical services for most any reasonably anticipated
incident. The [paramedic]
team is highly trained and experienced in both mountain medicine and SAR. The nurse’s station at the Start Area will
provide for commonly anticipated needs, including but not limited to foot
problems, heat exhaustion, and dehydration.
The RN will move over to the Finish Area each day to join the head [paramedic] after the final starter is on the
map. The remote aid station, being the
highest fixed location, will also be equipped for oxygen administration and CPR
needs, including an AED (defibrillator), though of course we hope not to need
one. The [paramedics]
have access to speedy transportation to the distant reaches of the map ([mountain bicycle, ATV if necessary for emergency fast
response]).
PLAN Step 4: Ambulances,
Hospitals, Police
Ground ambulance: [Locality] Fire & Rescue, 911; approximately [25 minutes away from the site]. [Locality] Fire & Rescue is aware that this event is
being held at [event site].
Air
ambulance: Air Life of [locality] (summoned by EMTs only); approx. [7 minutes away] by air. They can land at [event
site] or, if necessary, possibly at certain other locations on the
map. The Safety Officer will have a
windsock at the remote aid station in case some remote area is necessary for
such a landing.
Local
hospital: [
Police: [Locality]
PLAN
Step 5: SAR
Criteria for
Search or Rescue: A competitor or staff member is known to
be injured or (in the case of a competitor) overdue.[5]
Decision to Begin Search or EMT Response: Authorizing a search is the responsibility of the Meet Director, in consultation with the Safety Officer. The Safety Officer will confer with the [paramedic] team leader and include his input in discussing the need for a search. A competitor who is one minute overdue may not need a search, but a significantly overdue competitor, particularly one who has not been seen by anyone else near the end of the course, may need a search. An EMT response to a medical emergency at a known distant location, however, can be initiated by either the Safety Officer or the [paramedic] team leader without the need for a “search” decision by the Meet Director. If the Safety Officer determines the need to contact an ambulance, he shall summon either air or ground ambulance, as indicated, by the most efficient means available.
Conduct of Search, Area(s) of Search: The Meet Director shall determine the area to be searched and the method of search, in consultation with the Safety Officer and the [paramedic] team leader. The Meet Director must give due consideration to the last known position of the missing person(s), the terrain and any hazards in that area, the length of the overdue status, and other factors (refer to Attachment 2, sections 5 and 6, for typical considerations [or as applicable per sponsoring club]). Once the search has begun, the [paramedic] team leader is in charge of all search personnel. He will remain in radio contact with the Safety Officer at minimum, who will relay necessary information to the Meet Director if the latter is out of radio range.
Personnel
Involved: Primary, Secondary, and On-Call Resources
will be used in that order, as directed by the Safety Officer in consultation
with the [paramedic] team leader.
Primary personnel are the [paramedics];
secondary personnel are staff volunteers who may be called upon to expand the
search capabilities (at least one of whom will carry a GMRS radio set to the
SAR channel). On-call resources include
the [locality] Fire & Rescue personnel and
the [locality]
Resolution of
Search: Successful—the missing
person(s) is/are found and escorted to the Finish Area. The Meet Director will advise the Safety
Officer of the “found” status, who will ensure that all search personnel are so
informed.
Unsuccessful
at First—the missing person is not found on the first search by Primary
search personnel. The Safety Officer
institutes the contingency plan and calls for Secondary search personnel. At any time at the request of the [paramedic] team leader, or if the search is still not
successful after inclusion of Secondary personnel, the Safety Officer will
contact the On-Call resources. The
Safety Officer will keep the Meet Director advised of such contacts, to allow
for an efficient meeting of the On-Call resources at the site (Finish Area or
other, as designated by the Meet Director).
PLAN
Step 6: Fire
Fire in the immediate
area of the event: Take local extinguishing actions using
pre-positioned firefighting equipment; call 911 for [locality]
Fire Department if necessary. Be
prepared to direct the fire trucks to the proper area.
Fire
approaching the event area or nearby and threatening the event: Follow the
below evacuation plan.
PLAN
Step 7: Evacuation (in case of forest fire
or other large-scale emergency at the event site):
The Meet Director and available staff shall promptly contact all other staff and advise them of the condition and the need for an evacuation. According to the circumstances and the time available for evacuation, the Meet Director shall direct all staff personnel to assist with notifying and evacuating all event participants in their respective areas. The Meet Director should specify the area(s) to which people should rally after evacuating, to facilitate the accounting (head-count) process.
The Meet Director or Safety Officer, whoever first learns of the emergency, shall promptly notify [locality] Fire and Rescue (911) by the most efficient means available, advising them of the emergency, the exact location, and the approximate number of affected persons—especially any who might take some time to be accounted for. This could be the case if competitors are out on the map when the emergency is discovered. The Meet Director, in consultation with all available staff, shall give the Safety Officer the best available information regarding persons not yet accounted for. The Safety Officer shall keep the emergency-response personnel apprised of such persons and the efforts underway by staff to rescue such persons.
Attachments:
1. Communications
Planning Guide: Radio Assignments; Staff
Phone Nos.
1.5.
Pocket Card w/ Safety Phone numbers, Radio Freqs, etc.
2.
CROC [or sponsoring club’s] Safety Procedure
Policy
Communications Planning Guide
for
[USOF Champs, Aug 2005 (
Equipment: List
of radios, by type & power (names / priorities / source, including loan):
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Location |
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Radios
needed |
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Power
needed |
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Registration
/ parking lot |
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1 |
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Low |
(Loaned from [name]) |
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Start line |
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1 |
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Med |
(Could
be loaned from [name] |
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Finish
line |
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1 |
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High |
(loaned from [name]) |
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Directors:
[names] |
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2 |
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High |
([name’s] radios) |
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Nurse
station @ base |
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1 |
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Low |
(Loaned from [name]) |
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Remote
aid station |
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1 |
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High |
([name] is bringing own 3-watters) |
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1 |
(spare) |
High |
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[paramedic], @ base |
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1 |
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V.
High |
(bringing
their own PRC 144s) |
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[paramedic], roaming |
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1 |
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V.
High |
(bringing
their own PRC 144s) |
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Emergency
staffers ([names]) |
2 |
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High/med |
(loaned
from [names] ) |
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Spares |
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2 |
(?) |
High
(1); Med (1) . . .
If possible |
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Total: |
14 |
(12 GMRS) |
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Power ranges:
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List of staff & phone
numbers:
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[names] |
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[numbers] |
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