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The following article was published in The Outdoor Network,
the global forum for outdoor professionals
Emergency Action Plans:
How to Respond to a Critical Incident in Your Outdoor Adventure
Program
By Ian Wade, Director
Adventure Safety International, Outward Bound International
Last summer in Portland, Oregon, in two separate mountaineering
programs, a participant died. In both cases, independent investigators
examined the manner in which the guide had conducted the mountaineering
experience leading up to the fatality, as well as the subsequent
emergency procedures followed by the guide and the organization.
In the aftermath of these critical incidents, one organization
has the full support of the victim’s parents and is receiving
contributions for a memorial fund in the victim’s name. Most
potential clients are unaware of the accident and enrollment has
been unaffected. The accident in this organization was mentioned
on an inside page of a local newspaper.
The other organization is in the final stages of negotiating a
settlement involving payment to the victim’s family. There
were two days of front-page coverage in The Oregonian and several
follow-up stories regarding the accident. The membership and cliental
of the second organization has expressed strong concern about its
lack of response, and this had led to a full-scale review of the
organization’s risk management practices.
The difference between these radically different outcomes lies
in the quality of emergency response made by each organization.
The first organization had a thorough Emergency Action Plan
already in place, whereas the second organization developed theirs
only in response to the tragedy. What did the first organization
do right? Very simply, they demonstrated to the family and community
their deep concern about the tragedy and their willingness to investigate
promptly and thoroughly to determine whether mistakes had been made,
and if so, how to correct them for future programs. The second organization,
on the other hand, had been encouraged by their insurance company
to forego an investigation, and as a result, good relations with
the next-of-kin were never achieved.
Purpose of an Emergency Action Plan
As the above cases illustrate, all organizations that offer programs
in the outdoors need to have an Emergency Action Plan, a set of
procedures, intended to guide an organization’s response to
an accident. These procedures need to be reviewed and approved by
managers and other essential personnel who will be involved in the
response. Although every accident has unique characteristics, there
are many elements of an accident that can be anticipated and optimal
strategies for response can be developed. All staff members, participants,
and guests should know that an Emergency Action Plan exists and
know how to activate the plan.
An Emergency Action Plan does the following: 1. Assigns responsibilities
for action to be taken during and following an emergency. 2. Preplans
actions to be taken in different emergencies. 3. Identifies resources
for responding to an emergency.
Definition of an Emergency
An emergency may exist in situations that do not involve fatalities.
The circumstances that might trigger use of an Emergency Action
Plan are when any staff, participants, or guests become: ·
Lost. · Seriously, or fatally, ill or injured. ·Involved
in criminal activity, a natural disaster, or any other situation
likely to attract media attention.
Response to an Emergency
Response to any emergency will often involve interaction with county
sheriffs, search and rescue teams, and land management agencies.
These agencies all use an Incident Command system approach in handling
emergency situations. To communicate effectively with these professionals,
your organization should understand the basic structure and terms
used in the Incident Command System, and should have a system in
place internally that parallels that used by professionals.
The Incident Command System uses a team that performs five management
functions: Command, Planning, Operations, Logistics, and Finance.
Early in the management of an incident, these functions may be
combined under one person, the Incident Commander; however, different.
Section heads may be added for any or all of the five functions
as the scope of an incident expands. When multiple agencies are
involved, representatives from each agency will be part of the Command
Team to enable the Incident Commander to use their knowledge and
capabilities as a resource.
Ideally, a senior person from your organization will be part of
the Command Team to represent your interests, contribute resources,
and stay abreast of developments. This is more likely to occur if
your organization also uses an Incident Command system approach
as it makes it easier to transfer control of the operation to appropriate
authorities in a professional manner.
Assigning Responsibilities for Action
The Emergency Action Plan should identify the people within your
organization who can fill the roles required in the Incident Command
System. The plan should identify alternates and document how to
contact each member who may be needed. Many organizations use a
pager system to ensure that one or more people in your organization
can be contacted rapidly to assume control of an emergency.
1.
The person fulfilling the Command function is responsible
for leadership, decision making, and oversight of the entire operation.
Ideally this person will have management experience, knowledge of
Search and Rescue operations, diplomacy skills, and a broad sensitivity
to the organization’s interests. Usually, the organization’s
most senior executive fulfills this function.
2.
The person taking over the Planning function is responsible
for gathering relevant data about the incident and developing strategies
for successfully concluding it. The Outdoor Program Director, his/her
assistant, or a course Director, his/her assistant or a course Director
for the area where the incident occurred will often perform this
function.
3.
The person in charge of the Operations function,
for instance, the course Director, or a field staff member, is responsible
for conducting Search and Rescue operations in the field.
4.
The Logistics function supports the Search and Rescue
operations by supplying them with vehicles, food, equipment, and
facilities. The Course Director or a Field Staff member of the area
where the incident occurred is the natural choice for this function.
5.
The Finance function regulates expenses for services
used and major incidents. The Business Manager would be a logical
choice for this function.
Preplanning Actions to take in an Emergency
Preplanning actions to take if an emergency arises should be a
deliberate process that involves many people within the organization.
The team approach will make best use of the experience; additionally,
the process itself provides good training and preparation for staff
with respect to their roles in managing an effective emergency response.
Each organization should create several scenarios with the most
likely potential to activate the Emergency Action Plan. Some typical
scenarios are listed below and the probable steps to be taken in
response. The scenarios must of course be customized when developing
an Emergency Action Plan for your organization.
Scenario 1 Missing person or group, with or without staff supervision.
Response:
- Assess safety of available search staff
- Gather all pertinent data to assist search
- Determine urgency
- Determine Point Last Seen and Direction of Travel
- Confine the search area
- Conduct hasty search with immediately available staff
- Notify agency with jurisdiction for Search and Rescue
- Add appropriate search resources
- Execute internal and external communication plan
- Prepare for incident and demobilization
Scenario 2 Disability accident or serious illness
Response:
- Assess safety and capability of available evacuation personnel
- Gather all pertinent data to assist evacuation
- Select most expedient evacuation resource and medical support
- Notify agency with jurisdiction for Search and Rescue
- Execute internal and external communication plan
- Obtain witness reports
- Determine if the program should continue
- Evaluate need for Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
- Prepare for internal and external investigation
Scenario 3 Fatal accident or illness, including suicide
Response:
- Assess safety of remaining personnel
- Secure area around fatality site
- Notify law enforcement agency
- Executive internal and external communication plan
- Participate in evacuation
- Obtain witness reports
- Determine if program should continue
- Evaluate need for Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
- Prepare for internal and external investigation
Other scenarios might be developed, such as:
- Runaway participant(s)
- Criminal activity committed by or inflicted on participants
or staff
- Natural disasters that involve or may involve participants
- Participation in an emergency involving other parties
Identifying Resources for Responding to an Emergency
The preplanning exercise illuminates the kind of resources that
will be required in the event of an emergency. They will typical
include each groups as:
- The sheriff responsible for search and rescue in each area used.
Although it would be ideal to meet the sheriff and the key people
likely to be managing a search and rescue, this may not always
be possible. You can at least send a copy of your Press Kit and
Emergency Action Plan, invite their comments, and call them to
follow-up. In this call, find out what kind of resources they
have available, for example, search dogs, trackers, and/or fixed
wing and helicopters units.
- Land managers of each area used by your organization. Again,
if you can’t meet them in person, at least send them information
and give them a follow-up call.
- The Critical Incident Stress Foundation. This organization has
trained debriefing teams all over the country and can be reached
at (410) 750-9600. They can provide an invaluable service to those
affected by the stress of the accident.
- Medical advisers. Specialist physicians may be useful in on-site
treatment of some conditions, such as snakebite or altitude illness,
or in providing advice on follow-up care.
- Your insurance representative.
- Legal advisers. It is important to get legal advice that represents
the long-term interests of your organization, not just your insurance
company.
- Public relations professionals. People who specialize in crisis
management would be particularly appropriate.
(Space prevents a thorough discussion of the roles of all members
of the Incident Command Team. More information is available in a
longer paper available from the author’s website, www.adventuresafety.org).
The remainder of the article will discuss the two most difficult
tasks following an accident: responding to next-of-kin and responding
to the media.
RESPONDING TO NEXT OF KIN
Responding to next-of-kin is the most crucial component of the
immediate follow-up procedures after a serious injury or fatal accident,
and also the most distressing. The most senior staff member of your
organization is generally the best person to make this notification.
If he or she is not available, an alternate such as the Chairman
of the Board would be an appropriate choice. In some situations,
it may be necessary for someone outside your organization to make
the initial call, but try to avoid having a sheriff or search and
rescue person call. One person should take primary responsibility
for ongoing relations with the family, a task that might continue
for many months. This family relations coordinator might be a different
person than the initial spokesperson.
Each incident will have seemingly unique circumstances, but the
following are some general guidelines and suggestions:
Sensitivity to the feelings of the family is the foremost consideration.
Think through what you will say before you make contact. Have your
facts organized and accurate, and be sure to convey whatever personal
condolences might be appropriate without seeming to admit liability.
Try to anticipate possible responses and prepare yourself accordingly.
Remember that the next of kin have a right to all factual
information pertaining to a serious accident, but as the initial
notification will be received with surprise and shock, don’t
expect to convey all the details until a follow-up call. Make certain
they know how to reach you all times.
Promptness is important. Delays will almost certainly lead
to suspicions or other bad feelings. Don’t delay calling if
all the details are not yet known. Once the sheriff or search and
rescue radios are talking about a fatality, the news media are not
far behind.
Be conscious of the timing of your call and try to think
through where the recipient might be: at work, at home, on vacation.
Consider the value of speaking to all next of kin listed as emergency
contacts at the same time, perhaps through a conference call. Also
think through what to do if you have difficult contacting next of
kin, if another family member answers the phone for instance.
Conclude the call by asking what immediate support the next
of kin need from relatives, neighbours, and friends, and if
appropriate, help to procure it.
Invite family representatives to come to the accident site at
your expense if they wish. Offer to make all travel and hotel
arrangements for the next of kin.
Consider having a staff member who has firsthand knowledge of
the accident make a follow-up call, coached by a legal counsel.
Consider having a representative of your organization visit
the family at their home.
Arrange for other (Board Chair or other staff who know the family,
for example) to reinforce your communication, but maintain close
contact with the designated family relations coordinator to avoid
giving redundant or conflicting messages.
RESPONDING TO THE MEDIA
One designated spokesperson should be the only person responsible
for communicating with the news media. This person should be a senior
executive who is comfortable in front of the media but might not
be the most senior executive. This allows the spokesperson to defer
questions they might no be ready to answer to a later statement
by the senior executive. Other people in the organization must be
aware of the single spokesperson policy and refer all inquiries
to this person.
Media may include: Print media, primarily local and national newspapers.
Radio and TV stations, primarily local, and National Wire Services.
Priority
The priority for contacting different media groups depends on their
potential interest in the incident and their past relationship with
the outdoor program.
1.
High Priority—Those who will definitely want to cover
the story and those who have a positive relationship with the program
from previous media contacts.
2.
Lower Priority—Those who may cover the story but will
learn of it from a wire service or other media.
Timing of Contacting Media
It is usually advisable to notify the media
just before the situation becomes visible through the involvement
of law enforcement or search and rescue authorities. The media can
easily learn of an emergency situation, and it is preferable that
your organization release information rather than appearing defensive.
Goal of Communication with Media
The objective is to have a one-day story, thereby avoiding a continuing
series of headlines and features dragged out over a period of days
or weeks. To this end, provide the news media with as much detail
as possible, within the constraints detailed below. Make sure that
new information is relayed promptly to the media to allow them to
conclude coverage of the incident.
Methods of Communication
Prepare and fax a press release to high priority media. Use a summary
structure: Open the statement with key facts (who, what, when, where,
why), and then add more details. Write the release the way you would
like to have it appear in print media so the reporter has little
editing to do.
After faxing out the initial press release, consider calling media
representatives who you hope will be sympathetic. Rather than reading
a “canned story,” the spokesperson should have a written
list of key point for reference and should tell the story in their
own words. The image projected by the spokesperson of concern and
caring may have an important effect on the eventual tone of the
story that appears.
Try to avoid press conferences until you are ready with a full
factual statement that you know is correct.
Additional guidelines for Dealing with the Media
Any particular incident will have its own characteristics, so consider
these guidelines an aid, rather than substitute, for thoughtful
response during the incident.
The overarching communication goals are to show that the organization:
- Cares deeply about the tragedy.
- Plans an independent investigation to establish the causes and
to learn how to prevent future incidents.
- Is engaged in work of social value that many people regard highly
despite the tragedy.
KNOW WHAT THE MEDIA WILL WANT TO KNOW
- What happened?
- Where did it happen?
- When did it happen?
- How many people were involved?
- Who was involved? Ages and hometowns or states can be given
prior to notification of relatives and subsequent release of names.
Identify rescuers as well as staff and students.
- Have their relatives been notified?
- What emergency response efforts have been made to date? What
additional emergency response efforts are planned?
- Information on conditions in the field, equipment, training,
and safety of the group.
- Background on the company, including the safety training of
clients.
- Explain why certain information cannot be released, e.g., next
of kin have not yet bee notified, doctor’s orders prevent
interviews of survivors, etc. Withholding the name of a victim
pending notification of next of kin is appropriate and will be
respected by the media. However, do not deny that the accident
itself occurred.
- Do not speculate. When the answer to a query is not known, say
so. Avoid responding with “No comment,” which can appear
evasive.
- It is important to impress upon the media any kind of thoughtful
acts taken by your company, for example, Chairperson flies to
visit the family, organization flies family to the scene, etc.
- Keep statements brief and simple. Avoid over explaining. Beware
of the sound bites that may be extracted for use from long statements.
- Communicate care and compassion.
- Do not admit liability.
- It is desirable to let the media know that an independent External
Review will be conducted and that the results can be made available
to them in due course.
- Provide information on the mission of your organization and
any research or testimonial evidence that a valuable service is
provided.
- Arrange for monitoring of news reporting. Listen to broadcasts
and check newspapers.
- If a reporter prints or broadcasts erroneous information, inform
the reporter, not his or her superior, and provide correct information
as soon as possible.
Conclusion
Having an Emergency Action Plan may prevent long-lasting damage
to your organization’s reputation in the event of an accident
or other incident. Putting a good plan together involves senior
executives doing some careful anticipation of what might go wrong.
Communicating in advance with those other groups that they will
be involved in an emergency will refine the plan and build professional
relationships. These groups will then be more likely to support
you if the incident you never want to happen does take place.
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