Emergency Action Plan

These guidelines apply to all incidents that involve personal injury requiring immediate response, or rescue procedures (such as tree extraction) that could result in such injury if not conducted in a proper and organized fashion.

General Procedures

• The first arrival on the scene will assume the site management role, and shall continue in that role until explicitly passing it to another. This clearly defined leadership role is necessary to ensure an organized response to a crisis.
• In the case of life threatening injury a first responder should immediately contact emergency services before beginning first aid. If immediate contact is NOT possible, someone else should be sent to summon emergency response as first aid is being conducted.
• In the case of hospitalization or death a member on the scene should attempt to reach the injured pilot's emergency contact. If they don't have this information, they can contact the club secretary or president to either get this information or have the call made, though it is better if someone on the scene makes the call. Wait until emergency services arrives and get the location of the hospital before making this call.
• Private Landowners should be contacted as soon as possible by those involved, and in person if they are at hand. They should be assured that the situation is being handled, and asked if they would like a follow up call by a club officer. If asked about liability, assure them that there is none due both to state law and the waiver.
• In the event of a tree rescue, respondents should first evaluate if they have sufficient tools to conduct the operation before deciding to contact emergency services. These tools consist of rope more than twice the height of the tree, metal carabiners for lowering the pilot, a number of tie-off straps to secure the glider before lowering the pilot, a figure 8 or biner to act as a friction brake, gloves for handling the ropes, and lights for both crew and pilot if nightfall is a possibility during the operation. If the tools are sufficient AND there is at least one pilot with tree rescue experience, the extraction may be done without the help of emergency services.
• All flying members should strive to maintain a first aid kit and a tree extraction kit. All flying members should also maintain at least 100 feet of light line or dental floss in their harness in order to pull up rope after landing in a tree.

Site Specific Guidance

• Hyner/Hyner East - in the case of hospitalization or death, the club president should be contacted the same day in order to notify Forestry and/or Parks depending on where the incident occurred. If a major incident such as a blown launch or tree landing occurred on or near launch, even if it did not result in hospitalization the president should be notified so that the Parks department will hear about it from the club first.
• 501 (Bethel) - in the case of a major incident (hospitalization or death) on or near launch, contact the president who will notify the Parks service.
• Elizabethville - for an incident near launch or on the ridge, contact the president who will notify Forestry.