The Emergency Officer System
You most certainly have read the
inside of the Front Cover of Jilalan. There is a paragraph headed: “Emergency
Officer”.
AND, you would have noticed the
same title in the header above each “Outings” description.
What does it mean?
We have so many Newer Members &
Visitors that an explanation of “The System” is about time.
We have several reasons for the
existence of the Emergency Officer for Club Events.
. The
“EO” is the first point of contact for any emergency involving an outing.
. The
Outing Leader rings the EO prior to the outing to advise: who is on the outing
and their next-of-kin contact number; the rego numbers, type & drivers of
the cars going on the outing; if anyone & who is travelling independently
and where they are joining the outing + contact details; some details of where
the cars will be going and will be parked; and details of any car shuffle; some
details of the route being walked.
. [It is
normal for the Leader to phone the EO the night prior to the Outing to give the
details, and to ring again when the Outing leaves the Meeting Point to give
last minute details.]
. If you
are running late on your way to the Meeting Point for the Outing, and you
calculate the Leader has already left home, ring the EO – say you are running
late & will be at the Meeting Point in XX minutes.
.. The
Leader will ring the EO before going from the Meeting Point in order to get
late messages, and to pass on changes to the nominations & transport. Thus,
someone will be left at the Meeting Point to take you. Mobile phones will allow
you to ring the Leader direct – cut out the middleman.
. For an
outing coming home later than usual:
.. If
you are away on an outing, those left at home can get worried if you are not
home. They can phone the EO, but not before
.. The
Leader phones the EO on the outing’s return to
. But before
this, if the Outing is delayed for any reason, the Leader will ring the “EO” to
advise a new estimated time of arrival back in
.. The
EO rings up all next of kin to let them know what is happening.
. If for
any reason the outing becomes separated, the two halves ring the EO to check in
– the EO will be the one co-ordinating the two halves getting together again.
.. To
co-ordinate the search or rescue of Club members in trouble:
.. If
there is an emergency on the Outing, the Leader contacts the EO to advise:
… What
the emergency is,
… Where
everyone is,
… In
what state everyone is,
… What
the plan is,
... What
is needed.
.. The
EO stays by the phone for future developments,
… Ring
the President, Outings Secretary or other Committee Members if either of those
two cannot be contacted.
… They
will decide how far to escalate the situation, i.e., ring FMR, organise a
in-Club rescue party, put various experienced members on stand-by, send a car
to the location to wait on-site with food, water, warm clothes, tents or what
ever is required for the emergency. The Club does not contact Police,
Ambulance, SES, Helicopter, the media & etc.
…
Normally, we wait 24 hours before any rescue is organised for an overdue party.
If there is an accident or injury, it is different.
.. The
EO does all the phoning to FMR,
… To the
next of kin.
.. The EO
organises the rescue, or what ever is required. Thus, the EO takes the burden
off the Leader who will micro manage the situation out in the field.
… The EO
does not talk to the media.
… The
Leader does not talk to the media.
. FMR
will handle contact with the Police, SES, the Ambulance & the media.
.. FMR
takes over the situation from here
… The EO
remains the Contact for BCBC and the Next of Kin.
An Emergency includes: bad weather, flood,
fire, heat, lost property, animal attack, accident, injury, medical emergency,
death, lost car, car breakdown, road accident, someone lost, the whole party
lost, party split.
Everyone on the Outing needs to know the
Name & Phone Number of the Emergency Officer – You never know but it may be
You that needs to do the phoning.
The people At Home need to know the
Emergency Procedures, The Name & Phone Number of the Emergency Officer as
that is the ONLY Number they need to ring.
The Emergency Officer (EO or Emerg Off)
needs to know the procedures, the duties & needs to be EXPERIENCED with the
Club and Bushwalking. If You have walked under a variety of conditions, you can
imagine what the party in the field is experiencing.
Needless to say, the Emergency Officer
tries to stay Home for the whole time the outing is in the field – at least,
someone must be at home at that phone number, and this person must be able to
contact the named Emergency Officer at all times.
Walk With A CLUB,
It Makes A Difference.
Tell Someone Where You Are Going.
Tell Them The EMERGENCY PROCEDURES.
For your own safety, Don’t walk Alone.
Greg E (11/04)
The FMR Rescue Leaders Contact List
