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Incident Management

Incident Management

When the Worst Happens

This module will help you to

  • Respond confidently in an emergency situation
  • Delegate and supervise appropriate tasks
  • Document actions and outcomes
  • Communicate effectively with external help as needed

Resources

For training sessions

  • presentation icon_PINK

    PowerPoint presentation

Slides: Incident management (PPT, 2.7MB)

  • presentation icon_PINK

    Presenters' notes

Presenting the topic: Incident management (PDF, 209KB)
Discussion scenarios (PDF, 229KB)
Discussion scenario answers (PDF, 157KB)

Note: you may customise the material to reflect your particular club circumstances, with permission from and acknowledgement of Bushwalking Victoria. These particular resources have been enhanced and adapted by the Melbourne Bushwalking Club from BWV material. Any further customisation should acknowledge both MBC and BWV.

For participants and individual leaders

  • Printed information

Handbook: Incident Management (PDF, 106KB)

  • Bushwalking Manual online reference

The entire section on emergencies is worth reading.

Some specific useful topics are:
Overview of emergency communications discusses pros and cons of various devices
Lost?
Emergency shelters
Group member lost
First aid

Managing your group on the ground in case of helicopter evacuation

  • Bushwalking Victoria website

The Club Resources page provides samples of typical club administration documents.

Outside Assistance

A summary of considerations for the leader in need of external assistance

Assess the external circumstances

  • location, remaining daylight, weather

Consider communication options: phone or Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)

  • Phone is best if it works, either where you are or by walking to gain reception
  • PLB to be used only in a situation of grave and imminent danger

Assess the potential for further risk and the consequences of the incident

  • Level of experience of a single lost walker
  • Urgency of medical condition: is it time critical?
  • Need for continuing guidance from a medical expert

As leader, consult with others in the group and then decide on the best course of action, in consideration of the welfare of the entire party.

  • Give your GPS coordinates and/or What3Words code (from Emergency+ App if you have phone connection)
  • Set up something that can be seen from a distance and from the air: smoky fire if safe, large cross made from orange bivvy bags, stones or sticks
  • Alert emergency services if there are any locked gates they need to get through (if you are on private property or perhaps a water catchment area)
  • Consider sending a small group out to a turn off or easily found point to guide the rescue party

Quick Reminders

A summary of what to do in each of some possible emergency situations.

Individual walker lost

  • Stop, regroup, reassure and think
  • Try to communicate via voice, whistle and/or phone
  • Determine when and where the missing person was last seen
  • Plan and implement a search strategy including delegation of roles and consideration of safety of all walkers
  • Plan and implement a communications strategy, both internal and external
Individual walker lost

Entire group lost

  • Stop, regroup, reassure and think
  • Pool resources from other walkers’ navigation devices and experience
  • Listen to others but remain in control, delegating if necessary
  • Try to identify surrounding features
  • Retrace steps to last known location
  • If all else fails, implement emergency external communications
Entire group lost

Group overdue

  • You are not lost and there is no immediate medical emergency, but you will not finish before the stated overdue time
  • Communicate with your club’s emergency contact
  • Consider wellbeing of entire group
  • Pool resources for food, water, clothing and equipment as required
  • Consider feasibility of night walking, or use daylight to make shelter as appropriate
Group overdue

Injury where walker can continue

  • Stop, regroup, reassure and think
  • Delegate tasks
  • First aid (Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR, Defibrillate)
  • Distribute load from injured person amongst other walkers
  • Appoint a buddy to keep a particular eye on injured person
  • Shorten the walk via short cut or escape route
Injury where walker can continue

Injury requiring evacuation

  • Stop, regroup, reassure and think
  • Delegate tasks and record all actions
  • First aid (Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR, Defibrillate)
  • Implement emergency external communications
  • Control other external communications, ensuring the injured person’s contact is informed before others
  • Plan for the wellbeing and safe evacuation of the entire group 
Injury requiring evacuation

Death

  • Protect the body but do not move unless necessary
  • Alert emergency services as soon as possible
  • Liaise with incident controller (usually police), and communicate only through them
  • Other group members should refrain from any immediate external communication
  • Document the time and nature of all actions, and get others to also take written notes
  • Consider splitting the group (with approval of incident controller), so that those who do not need to remain at the scene can walk out
  • Do not make any statements accepting liability
  • Club president or representative should take over responsibility for all later communications
  • Club should arrange debriefing and counselling for all involved
Death

Key Points

  • Hopefully your good risk management strategies will minimise the chance of a serious incident
  • If an incident occurs, call the group together, stay calm, take charge and do the best you can
  • Delegate tasks to reliable group members and move others out of harm’s way
  • Suggest everyone share high energy snacks and consider the welfare of the group
  • Be prepared to provide a detailed incident report to your club and to any other authorities involved
  • After the incident is resolved, take time to reflect and debrief with friends and colleagues