It shall be understood that instructions from Emergency Response Personnel (ERP) (i.e. Police, Firemen, Emergency Medical Technicians, Doctors, Nurses, Lifeguards, etc.) shall supersede these procedures if a conflict between the two arise. Always obey the instructions given by ERP.

7.1 TRAUMA PROCEDURES

In the event of an emergency/injury the following steps shall be taken:

1. Inform The Youth Pastor
   • The Youth Pastor (or Program Director if Youth Pastor is not present or is injured) shall be notified of the situation immediately. This person shall oversee the Trauma Procedures. This person shall also begin immediately recording all details of the trauma response.
2. Account for All Participants
   • The Youth Pastor shall designate one sponsor to gather all participants not participating in the Trauma Response in one area, well away from the emergency site, and in a safe location. This person shall ensure that all participants are accounted for. Upon doing so this person will record their name, time and report back to the Youth Pastor. After reporting to the Youth Pastor this person will also provide Pastoral Care to the rest of the participants and attempt to organize them in prayer for the situation.
3. Determine if ERP are required
   • The Youth Pastor shall determine if ERP are needed. If there is doubt err on the side of caution. The Youth Pastor should take care to record the time such a decision was made.
4. Assign People to Contact 911
   • If the Youth Pastor determines ERP are required he shall designate two sponsors or two pairs of older participants to contact 911 on two different phones. If a cell phone is available the Youth Pastor shall use it to contact 911 and only one other contact person will be required. The Youth Pastor should take care to record the time and names of those designated to contact 911.
   • The Youth Pastor shall provide the contact designees with as much information about the injured parties in writing to convey to the ERP.
   • The contact designees shall immediately contact 911 and relay all information given to them. They shall note in writing the time the call is placed and the phone number and location from which the call is made. After placing the call the contact designees shall report back to the Youth Pastor who shall take note of when they reported back to him/her.
5. Allow ERP to work.
   • Once the ERP arrive or the injured participants arrive at the hospital and are placed into the care of the ERP there, all instructions given by them supersede all trauma procedures.
   • The person designated to gather the participants not injured together shall ensure that the rest of the participants not participating in the trauma response stay well away from those assisting with the injured so as not to interfere with their response to the emergency.

7.2 POST-TRAUMA PROCEDURES

Once the immediate emergency has been dealt with, once the injured party(s) are in the hands of qualified medical professionals and once any risk to the safety of event participants has been removed, the following steps should be taken:

1. Review Records
   • The Youth Pastor should quickly review the written records of the trauma response so far. Are all records present? Has anything been left out?
   • Check-list for records
     • Time and place of Emergency/Injury
     • Names of all those involved
     • Name of Designee charged with caring for other participants
     • That Designee's notation of time of accounting
     • Time of determination of need for ERP
     • Names and Times of contact designees
     • Those designees notation of time, phone numbers and locations of contact
     • Time they reported back to Youth Pastor
     • Time ERP arrived
     • Time of arrival at hospital
     • Names of non-participants involved in emergency
     • Any other steps taken.
2. Record names of ERP
   • Record names of EMT's, Ambulance Companies, Doctors, Nurses, Technicians and other ERP.
3. Check for more information
   • Check with medical team to determine if there is any information on the status of the injured parties. If the hospital's pastoral care personnel are present they are typically entrusted to act as a liaison between the medical team and family/friends of the injured. Use their services and cooperate with their requests.
4. Contact Parents of Injured Parties
   • Find a phone and write down time and the number of the phone.
   • Contact parents of injured parties.
   • Identify with whom you are speaking. Make sure it is the injured person's parents.
   • If the injuries are life-threatening or a death has occurred the conversation should go something like this:

     "Hello, Mr./Mrs. ______________. This is ____________ from Trinity Church. You are __________'s father/mother correct? Are you sitting down? (If not allow them to do so.)

     There has been an accident at the church. Right now I am at the hospital with ____________. They are in good hands. However the Doctors are concerned. We need you to come to the Emergency Room at _________________. Is there someone there who can drive you? (If not and there is an adult sponsor with transportation available, offer to pick them up immediately.)"

     The parents will probably have questions but there are two priorities of which you should be aware.

     1. Misinformation about a participants condition must be avoided.

        In the case of a serious injury or death it is typically the responsibility of the Doctor or a Nurse to relay such information to family members to avoid such misinformation. Avoid speculation and seek to get the parents to the hospital so the Doctor/Nurse can relay the information in person.

     2. The parents may attempt to drive themselves.

        If this occurs they need to be able to do so safely. This is difficult if they are overly distraught. It is best for the doctors relay information about a serious injury or death at the hospital where it is safe.

   • If the injuries are not life threatening the conversation should include:
     1. Identifying the parent
     2. Identifying yourself and your affiliation with the church
     3. Identifying your location
     4. Explaining briefly and without speculation the nature of the injury and the treatment given
     5. Explaining what further treatment is planned
     6. Providing them a phone number at which you can be reached.
5. Contact the Senior Pastor
   • Let him/her know briefly and without speculation what happened, who was involved and what's being done about it. Answer his questions. Give her/him the number at which you can be reached. Try to free up the phone quickly in case a parent calls back. Record the time and phone number from which you call.
6. Provide Pastoral Care
   • After contacts have been made, pastoral care is your next obligation. (Ensure someone is by the phone in case someone calls back.) See to it that you provide care and comfort to (in this order of priority):
     1. The injured parties
     2. The family of injured parties as they arrive
     3. Any other participants who have accompanied you to the hospital.
7. Keep all records and paperwork
   • Make sure all paperwork given to you by the hospital is kept together, as well as the records from the other designees. Have all the other adults who witnessed the accident or participated in the trauma response write out a detailed incident report and keep this with your records.