Emergency Action Planning in United States High Schools

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Public Health
• Emergency Preparedness

Background:

• Emergency action plan (EAP) implementation and adherence vary across US secondary schools.
• Data on emergency preparedness in schools lacking athletic trainers (ATs) are limited.
• Financial constraints and the absence of ATs contribute to poor emergency readiness in rural, high-poverty schools for athletic events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess emergency preparedness in US secondary schools, focusing on the presence of athletic trainers (ATs) and the implementation of emergency action plans (EAPs).
• To identify disparities in emergency preparedness based on school characteristics such as location (urban, suburban, rural), poverty level, and enrollment size.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study utilizing a web-based questionnaire distributed via State High School Athletics Associations.
• The questionnaire targeted athletic trainers (ATs), athletic directors, and coaches to evaluate emergency preparedness measures.
• Data were collected from 686 respondents, representing approximately 3.5% of the recipient schools.

Main Results:

• Schools with an AT on staff were significantly more likely to have an EAP (P < 0.01).
• Higher enrollment schools demonstrated greater likelihood of having an EAP, an AT, mandatory coach training, and an onsite automated external defibrillator (AED) for all events (P < 0.01).
• Urban and suburban districts had higher odds of employing an AT compared to rural districts. High poverty districts were less likely to have an AED (OR, 0.660; P = 0.03) or an EAP (OR, 0.511; P < 0.01) at athletic venues.

Conclusions:

• Schools in rural areas, with high poverty rates, and lower enrollment exhibit poorer emergency preparedness for athletic events.
• These schools are less likely to have ATs, AEDs, and EAPs, and are less likely to provide supplementary training for coaches and staff.
• Addressing these disparities is crucial for enhancing athlete safety and ensuring adequate response to emergencies in all school settings.