Cardiac emergency response plan.

Where the AED is.

Our automated external defibrillator (AED) is in a wall-mounted AED cabinet in the testing room. The cabinet is never locked or blocked while the facility is open, and every coach knows where it is.

Address for 911: 165 Denny Way, El Cajon, CA 92020. Facility phone: (858) 899-0098.

Recognize sudden cardiac arrest.

Treat it as sudden cardiac arrest when a person collapses and is not responsive, and is not breathing normally. Gasping, or a brief seizure-like jerking after a collapse, is not normal breathing. Do not wait for a pulse check. Every minute without CPR and a shock lowers the chance of survival, so the goal is a shock within 3 minutes of collapse.

Warning signs before an arrest include fainting during or right after exercise, chest pain with exercise, unexplained shortness of breath, a racing or fluttering heartbeat, and repeated dizziness. An athlete who shows these is stopped from activity and their parent or emergency contact is told.

What we do.

1. Check. Tap and shout. If there is no response and no normal breathing, start the plan.
2. Call 911. Put the phone on speaker, give the address, and say “someone has collapsed and is not breathing.” Follow the dispatcher.
3. Get the AED. Bring it from the testing room cabinet right away.
4. Start CPR. Hard, fast chest compressions in the center of the chest, 100 to 120 a minute, until the AED is ready.
5. Use the AED. Turn it on, place the pads as shown, and follow its voice prompts. Restart compressions immediately after a shock or if no shock is advised.
6. Meet EMS. Someone waits at the front entrance to guide paramedics in, and clears the area of other athletes.
7. Keep going until paramedics take over or the person starts breathing normally.

Who does what.

Coach on duty (lead responder)

Starts the plan, does CPR, and runs the AED. Directs everyone else.

Second staff member or adult

Calls 911, brings the AED, then meets paramedics at the entrance. When a coach is alone, the coach calls 911 on speaker and starts CPR, and asks the nearest adult or older athlete to bring the AED and wait at the door.

Facility manager

Owns this plan: keeps staff certifications and training records, checks the AED, runs the yearly drill and review, and sends the plan to families each year. After an emergency, contacts the family, files an incident report, and replaces used AED pads before the next session.

Athletes

Tell a coach right away if someone collapses or says they feel faint or have chest pain. Bring the AED when a coach asks, and keep clear of the responders. Athletes are shown where the AED is at their first session.

Parents and visitors

Follow staff directions and keep the area clear. Anyone trained in CPR may be asked to help.

Training.

• Every APX coach holds current CPR and AED certification from an accredited provider that follows national, evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines, renewed every two years, before supervising athletes.
• Every coach and administrator completes concussion and sudden cardiac arrest prevention education before supervising athletes.
• New staff review this plan before their first session. All staff review it, and run a practice drill, at least once a year.

AED care.

The AED is maintained and tested following the manufacturer's instructions and FDA requirements. Each month staff check its ready indicator and the expiration dates of the pads and battery, and log the check. Pads are replaced after any use, and the AED is put back in service before the next session.

Review and families.

APX reviews and re-adopts this plan every year, and after any cardiac emergency or drill that shows something to change. Each year we send every enrolled family a link to this plan with the AED location and our emergency contact information. Families also see the AED location in the concussion and cardiac arrest information sheet they sign each year.

Questions about this plan: call (858) 899-0098 or email [email protected].