Emergency Response: Man Down Part 2
In our last blog, we discussed drilling your site’s emergency response plan. It is important to have a comprehensive man down response plan that provides guidance on not only the initial response, but also each staff member’s continued roles during the event and documentation post-incident.
Do NOT assume the victim is dead
A person is not legally dead until it is pronounced by a qualified person – correctional officers are NOT qualified to do this. In each state, there are regulations on who is legally allowed to pronounce death. Generally, these individuals include practitioners and the county coroner. Even if you believe the victim to be dead, if they have not been pronounced as such, they should be considered alive. For this reason, each potential life-threatening situation (man down) should be treated as an emergency in the jail environment and include calling 911, getting emergency equipment, and beginning basic life support (BLS). Life-saving measures should be continued until the ambulance arrives. Do NOT assume the victim is dead.
Respond with urgency
A man down response will be captured through different lenses. This may include the eyes of each responding team member, the eyes of onlookers, and the recording of security cameras. Each man down response should be treated as a medical emergency with urgency by each responding team member. Think about the difference between an officer responding to a man down by calmly walking down a hallway versus that same officer running to respond as quickly as possible. The level of urgency may reflect positively or negatively on your team.
During a man down, each member of the team should have a job. This should be outlined in your response plan, and everyone should know what to do. Officers standing around or trying to make light of the situation during the response effort may not be seen as professional. Respond with urgency.
Consider your audience when documenting
Appropriate care combined with appropriate documentation is your record of doing the right thing. Facts about a man down response should be documented. This includes:
· The who/what/when/where/why
· Action taken
· Result/outcome of the event
Consider who may be reviewing your documentation – this may be shared with jail leadership, attorneys, or a judge at some point in the future. Emotional statements or opinions in your notes may impact someone’s interpretation of your professionalism or conduct during the event. Consider your audience when documenting.
For more information, please contact training@sparktraining.us.
Disclaimer
All materials have been prepared for general information purposes only. The information presented should be treated as guidelines, not rules. The information presented is not intended to establish a standard of medical care and is not a substitute for common sense. The information presented is not legal advice, is not to be acted on as such, may not be current, and is subject to change without notice. Each situation should be addressed on a case-by-case basis. When in doubt, send them out!®