EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN

Montville Public Schools Athletics Department

EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN

The Montville Public Schools Athletics Department has an emergency action plan which includes procedures that will be implemented in the event of: a medical emergency;a rise in the heat index to potentially unsafe levels; and a potential lighting risk. Coaches and employees of the Montville Public Schools Athletics Department will be familiar with this document and their roles and responsibilities in an emergency. Please direct any questions to the district's athletic director, Philip Orbe.

MEDICAL EMERGENCY

An “emergency” is defined as the need for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to give further medical attention and/or transport a student-athlete to the hospital. Coordination between the athletic trainer, coaches, administrators and student responders is imperative for the successful implementation of the emergency action plan. This guide delineate roles and outlines the protocol to be followed in the event of an emergency. Situations when 911 will be called are:

  • a student-athlete is not breathing
  • a student-athlete has lost consciousness
  • it is suspected that an athlete may have a neck or back injury
  • a student-athlete has an open fracture (bone has punctured through the skin)
  • severe heat exhaustion or suspected heat stroke
  • severe bleeding that cannot be stopped

Chain of Command

Athletic Director
School Administrator
Certified Athletic Trainer
School Resource Officer /
School Designee
Head Coach
Assistant Coach
Volunteer Assistant Coach

Once it has been determined that EMS will be called, the following protocol will be implemented:

  1. The highest person in the chain of command, who is present at the scene,is thedesignated person in charge, or leader.That person will stay with the student-athlete to monitor the student-athlete’s condition and administer necessary first aid. If possible, someone else in the chain of command will stay and assist. During school hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), the front office or an administrator will be notified that there is an emergency situation on campus.
  1. The highest person in the chain of command will make the call to EMS or will designate another person to make the call. Call 911 from a cell phone, if possible. If a cell phone is not available, phones at Montville High School and Tyl Middle School are located in the main office, classrooms which are able to dial outside of the school, and many of the offices. EMS will be told what the emergency is, the condition of the student-athlete, and how to get to the location of the student-athlete. Also, tell EMS that someone will meet them at the closest point accessible to the incident, to aid in directing the ambulance. DO NOT HANG UP UNTIL EMS HANGS UP FIRST.
  1. The leader will designate another person to immediately notify the athletic director, Philip Orbe, if he is not at the immediate location of the incident. He can be reached at 860-908-1403. The leader will also immediately notify the athletic trainer, Jessica Handy, if she is on the premises.She can be reached at 860-884-8680.
  1. The leader will designate another person to attempt to contact the student-athlete’s parent(s)/guardian(s). Emergency contact information is found on the student-athlete database which coaches and the athletic trainer are required to have access to (electronically or hard copy) at all times. If a parent/guardian cannot be reached, leave a message with an accessible call back number.Attempt to call back at an appropriate time, if the parent/guardian do not return the message.
  1. If transport is deemed necessary by EMS, the student-athlete will be taken to either Backus Hospital (Norwich) or Lawrence and Memorial Hospital (New London), unless the parent requests otherwise.

Montville High School is located at:

800 Old Colchester Rd Oakdale, CT 06370

The closest intersection to the school is Old Colchester Road and Chesterfield Road.

Location of Automated External Defibrillators (AED)

  • Two AED's are locating in Montville High School. One is located in the gymnasium and the other in Senior Court.
  • Coaches are required to take note of the closest AED to their practice and game locations. Located within each AED are clear directions to be followed, ensuring its effective use.

Important Phone Numbers:

Philip Orbe, Athletic Director: 860-848-8723 (O)

Jessica Handy, Athletic Trainer: 860-884-8680 (C)

EMS: 911 or 9-911 if calling from a school phone that has access outside of the school

Main Office: 860-848-9208 or press 0 if calling from a school phone

Mike Collins, School Resource Officer: extension # 2162 from a school phone

Jeff Theodoss, MHS Principal: extension # 2112 from a school phone

MJ Dix, TMS Principal: (860) 848-2822

HEAT INDEX PROCEDURES

The Montville High School Athletic Department follows a formal policy to handle situations when the heat index rises to potentially unsafe levels. This policy uses a progressive system of recommendations, warnings, and limitations,which increase as the heat index rises. Special care will be taken to ensure that student-athletes who are practicing, working out, and participating in athletic events properly hydrate in hot, humid conditions.

  1. Heat index will be checked one hour before the contest/practice by the athletic director, a certified athletic trainer, or school designee when the air temperature is 80 degrees (Fahrenheit) or higher.
  1. The athletic director, athletic trainer, or school designee will use the Weather Underground website/mobile app to determine the heat index for the area of the event/practice.The website can be found at Once on the website, enter the zip code for the location of the event/practice and the website will provide the air temperature as well as the “Feels Like” temperature (heat index).
  1. If the “Feels Like” temperature (heat index) is 90 degrees or above, the athletic director, athletic trainer, or school designee must re‐check the heat index at the midway point of the event or practice.
  • No contest or practice will begin with a heat index above 94 degrees.
  • If the “Feels Like” (Heat Index) temperature reaches 95 degrees or more, the contest or practice will besuspended.

Refer to chart below to determine the applicable response to the determined Heat Index

Heat Index
below 79 degrees / *Full Activity.
*No Restrictions.
Heat Index Caution
Heat Index:
80 to 85 degrees / *Provide ample water and multiple water breaks.
*Monitor athletes for heat illness.
*Consider reducing the amount of time for the practice session.
Heat Index Watch
Heat Index:
86 to 89 degrees / *Provide ample water and multiple water breaks.
*Monitor athletes for heat illness.
*Consider postponing practice to a time when Heat Index temp is lower (morning or evening).
*Practices should not exceed 90 minutes in length.
*1 hour of recovery time for every hour of practice
Heat Index Warning
Heat Index:
90 to 94 degrees / *Provide ample water and water breaks every 15 minutes.
*Monitor athletes for heat illness.
*Consider postponing practice to a time when Heat Index temp is much lower.
*Practices should not exceed 75 minutes in length.
*1 hour of recovery time for every hour of practice.
*Light weight and loose fitting clothes should be worn.
*For football and lacrosse practices, only helmets should be worn.No pads.
Heat Index Alert
Heat Index:
95 degrees or greater / *No outside activity, practice or contest, should be held.
*Inside activity should only be held if air conditioned.

LIGHTNING PROCEDURES

Education and prevention are the keys to lightning safety. Prevention begins long before any athletic-related activity, event, or practice by having a lightning safety plan in place. The Montville Public Schools Athletic Department has established the following procedures and protocols to be followed in order to mitigate risk of a lightning hazard.

  1. Local weather reports are monitored daily concerning potential thunderstorms and lightning events that may form during scheduled athletics events or practices.
  1. The highest person in the chain of command, who is present at the scene, is the designated person in charge, or leader.
  1. The leader makes the decision to remove a team and game personnel from an athletic site or event and directs them to a safe location inside of the school.
  1. The leader also conveys the necessity of leaving the athletic site to all spectators.
  1. In the event of a thunderstorm or lightning event, by the time the leader observes thirty seconds between seeing the lightning flash and hearing its associated thunder or by the time the leading edge of the storm is within six miles of the venue, all individuals should have left the athletic site.
  1. To estimate the distance between the location and a lightning flash, the "Flash to Bang" method will be implemented: If lightning is observed, the number of seconds is counted until thunder is heard. The number of seconds is divided by five to obtain the distance in miles.
  • Example: If lightning is seen and it takes ten seconds before thunder is heard, then the lightning is two miles away.

“Flash to Bang”

If Thunder is heard / The Lightning is...
5 seconds after a Flash / 1 mile away
10 seconds after a Flash / 2 miles away
15 seconds after a Flash / 3 miles away
20 seconds after a Flash / 4 miles away
25 seconds after a Flash / 5 miles away
30 seconds after a Flash / 6 miles away
35 seconds after a Flash / 7 miles away
40 seconds after a Flash / 8 miles away
  1. To resume athletics activities, the leader will wait thirty minutes after both the last sound of thunder and after the last flash of lightning is at least six miles in the distance, moving away from the venue.

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