Emergency response procedure and serious incident actions
Last updated:Overview
The following are to be used by visit leaders and used in the event of an emergency during an Educational Visit. There is a flowchart of actions for obtaining help and support and an incident action card . An incident log for recording a log of events should also be kept:
- Response Procedure
- Serious Incident Actions
- Incident Log
Incident Log
Keep a detailed log of actions and conversations as they take place. Include nature of instructions given, names, addresses, telephone numbers, each person with whom contact is established.
Requirements for the log include:
- Date & time
- Action / conversation
An incident or emergency may include: school flooding / fire / pupils in vehicle crash / outbreak of infectious disease / incident involving emergency services on a school visit / death or serious injury / terrorism / incident likely to attract media attention
- School makes assessment and if escalation required activates its Emergency Plan (If a visit, Visit Leader speaks to School Emergency Contact for advice / support)
-
If Council support required school calls the BC Resilience Team on 07738 501 318
-
Incident management as per School Emergency Plan
Or
- School alerts BC Duty Resilience Officer by calling 07738 501 318
- BC Resilience Officer takes details, Alerts LA Officer (from Duty Rota for w/e & school holidays)
- BC Resilience Officer keeps Director Education /Deputy informed (Also for a visit, Resilience Officer calls Outdoor Adviser 07890 395028 )
- LA Officer contacts caller and initial support provided (Uses check list) (If Visit Leader made call, LA Officer tells school (Visit info on Evolve)
- LA support may include: Resilience Team / Social Care / Comms / Media Team / Ed Psychology / SEN / Outdoor Education Adviser / County Insurance / Safeguarding Team / Equalities Lead / Facilities Management / Public Health / Education & Advisory Service / Health & Safety Team / Adult Services / Legal Services / YOS
- Contacts list held by BC Resilience Officer
- LA Officer continues as point of contact with school and LA teams to facilitate support (If further support needed, activation of BC Emergency Plan)
- BC Emergency Plan activated
On resolution: BC Resilience Officer emails all concerned with any handover/follow up arrangements
Emergency response procedure and serious incident actions
Guidance for incidences that occur on educational visits
This Action Card covers the following incident scenarios:
- ‘Generic’ emergency procedures (coach crash, fire, bomb threats, terrorism);
- Death or serious injury of a pupil/adult while on/at a school journey;
- Outbreak of an infectious disease which will curtail the school journey.
- Incident/emergency on a school trip including overseas;
INITIAL ACTIONS
- Summon emergency services if appropriate;
- Provide first aid / prevent further injury;
- Account for all party members including staff;
- Delegate a responsible adult to take care of uninjured members of the party;
- Instruct no one to talk to media and secure inappropriate use of mobile phones, email and social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter etc);
- In order that you can be contactable at all times and to enable you to lead and coordinate all necessary actions you should delegate party leadership to the Deputy Leader;
Keep a log using the Incident Record Sheet to note down:
- Full and further details of the incident such as what has happened, the exact location of the emergency, and any casualties;
- all actions taken and conversations held;
- any decisions that have been made;
Contact the Buckinghamshire Council Duty Resilience Officer on 07738 501318 or +447738 501318 if abroad, and provide the following information:
- your name;
- the name of your school /party;
- the nature of the emergency;
- the complete telephone number which we can call you on (including national /area codes etc) and any other contact numbers that can be used.
SUBSEQUENT ACTIONS
- You should not make any public statements about the incident without the prior agreement of the School and the Council.
Depending on the circumstances some or all of the following actions may be required:
- Retain all equipment involved in an accident or incident in an unaltered condition - unless it is required by the police;
- Begin to make appropriate arrangements for those not injured to return home immediately;
- Arrange any support for the staff and injured in the hospital;
- Obtain necessary documentation from the medical authorities e.g. death certificates, medical certificates indicating how the injured may travel home, and case histories including x-rays;
- Retain receipts for all expenditures connected with the incident.