Allegheny Mountain Swimming Trip Report USA Swimming Safety Chair Workshop June 26-27, 2015 Denver, Colorado

TO:

Scott Wilshire (AMS General Chair)

FROM: Lynne Shine (AMS Admin. Vice Chair, USA Swimming Operational Risk Committee Member) Donna Beyerl (AMS Treasurer) Hypoxic Blackout - It Can Happen in Your Pool - Bobbi Houghton  Common Characteristics of those who have experienced Hypoxic Blackout: * Young * Thought to be in good health * Highly Intelligent * Highly Competitive / Tend to drive themselves * Usually male * Seeing more incidents in synchronized swimming b/c pushing limits      

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Survivors - main characteristic is that someone was around when event took place SEALS - Maintain a safety ratio of 2 instructors to 1 recruit when doing underwater swims Hyperventilation depletes the body's CO2 levels (which normally triggers breathing response) Hyperventilation causes decreases in normal CNS activity Vessels in brain become dilated and blood drains out with gravity (however, in water this doesn't happen) In humans with normal activity levels when a heart attack occurs, breathing stops between 0-90 seconds and cell death begins between 4-6 minutes; in a competition level athlete those times are reduced; 0-30 seconds for cessation of breathing and less than 2 minutes until cell death begins Shallow water accelerates hypoxic blackout effects Check the Insurance & Loss Prevention portion of USA Swimming website for additional information Also check the videos posted under Coaches on USA Swimming website Important to Educate Parent 1 Breath, 1 Time, 25 Yards

Facility First Aid Kits - Starre Haney & Allan Meier      

Who is responsible for restocking and maintaining the first aid kit? Is it on the meet safety checklist? Is the First Aid Kit easily accessible on pool deck? Laminate a inventory check list make sure expiration dates are clearly marked on all bottles Note the opened date on multiuse bottles & tubes - 30-90 days acceptable

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 Assign responsibility for restocking both before and after each meet; as well as after each injury/use  AHA recommends 325 mg. dose of aspirin be administered if presenting with heart attack symptoms chest pain; always ask for list of potential allergies before administering aspirin or any antibiotic creams  kit should contain trauma scissors - not bandage scissors  baking soda - useful for making paste to put on bee stings  must obtain medical stmt and signed from before administering epi-pens or other treatment (form signed by PT or parent/guardian)  stock with non-latex items - latex allergies are severe and sometimes PT doesn't know beforehand  Look under Insurance section of USA Swimming website for information on Volunteer & Medical Event Insurance coverage  Complete Report of Occurrence form online after use First Aid kit  Safety Facility checklist also available on USA Swimming website Coaching Credentials - Jen Ridge & Jeff Chu  Be aware of all of the requirements to be a certified coach  Clubs & athletes will not be covered by USA Swimming insurance if coaches are not properly credentialed  Exception: A USA registered athlete may be used to demonstrate strokes or as a coach aide as long as they are in the direct line of sight supervision of a USA Swimming certified coach. They may never be the primary coach.  If a club has non-registered swimmers in program - need to get "learn to swim" coverage  If the credentials of the Club Head Coach are expired - the club charter is at risk  must be at least 18 years old to be USA Swimming Coach or Official  Every new swimmer to club must be dive certified; Certification forms from previous clubs do not travel with swimmer. Team Unify provides place for storage of form.  Form must have signature of person who certified the athlete Safety Chair/LSC Communication Techniques - Mike Seip & Lynne Shine  Communications – Pushing down information and whether information is being utilized – Online test for Safety Director and Checklist for Safety Director  Required meetings for Safety Chairs (4 times a year?) – Attend 3 out of the 4 meetings  Website and online posting Safety Section on Clubs Website, Newsletters-Outbreaks, E-mails  Recommended Meet Marshal Classes – 3 point entry system for warm-ups at meets and at all practices  Add the entry system on all Meet Marshal Cards, Keep swimmers moving in warm-up lanes, Verify that local EMT’s conduct in-water rescues  Referees do not need a LSC policy to ban training equipment in pool during warm-up  However, if want a policy in place, this can be done by LSC Board of Directors - no USA Swimming rule  Banning training equipment good idea - especially when facility drops pads in water before warm-up  “Drowning is Silent” poster on wall of facilities Deck Control - Lynne Shine & Andrew Gormley  See PPT posted on AMS website under Safety

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Safety Award 2015 - Chuck Kunsman  Check USA Swimming website for additional information Risk Management - Sandi Blumit & John Kline  Safety - Managing Risk - Avoiding Accidents important issue for all Coaches & Clubs  See Summary of Reports of Occurrence for 2014 at end of this report - most incidents happen during practices – redesigned reports and online filing, keep safety reports for one year  Regarding Dryland Training Coaches - if they have their own insurance, no problem; however, if want USA Swimming insurance, they must become a non-athlete member and be under the supervision of a USA Swimming coach  Under Safe Sport - if have frequent contact with athletes, must have non-athlete regular membership or they must have their own insurance and name the USA Swim Club as an additional insured Stroke Specific Issues - Mary Jo Swalley & Jen Ridge    

backstroke ledges make dive starts deeper - current USA Swimming rules do not address Proposed legislation being introduced at 2015 USAS Convention Protocol for backstroke dives needs to be developed and added to certification requirements Racing Start Certification is also for Backstroke Starts as well as Off the block starts

Cooperation - A Key to Success - Mike Espino (YMCA) & Connie Harvey (ARC)  Unified approach to messaging is important  ACFASP - Scientific Review: Voluntary Hyperventilation Preceding Underwater Swimming  Y Aquatics Safety Assistant - acceptable way to recertify the water skills portion of STSC State of Concussion Research - What We Know - Concussion in Youth Sports - Dr. Danny Mistry  Concussion – Complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain  3.8 million Concussion incidents/year in the USA (that is skewed due to some not being recognized and reported) 10% of sports injuries.  Some athletes’ physical symptoms resolve in 7-10 days, Metabolic effects 30-45 days, different for every case.  See attached handouts at end of this report summary Concussion - Practical Evaluation on Site/ER - Starre Haney, RN  Extremely important that athletes are evaluated and report of occurrence filed  If the athlete does not have personal health insurance, Mutual of Omaha will cover healthcare expenses with a $100 deductible; Essential that Report of Occurrence is filed

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Concussion - The Legal Record - Rich Young (Young, Bryan & Cave LLP - Counsel to USA Swimming)  Basis of Concussion Liability Claims: * Duty to take action to protect an athlete's health * Failure to follow concussion-related rules or guidelines * Failure to follow best practices * Failure to warn, inform, & educate * Improper post-concussion response  Failure to follow rules or guidelines: * Pool depth (USA Swimming rules & State Statutes) * Racing starts (USA Swimming certification requirements) * Running & horse play on deck * Inadequate safety rules * Affirmatively encouraging dangerous practices (i.e., current claims against NHL and NFL)  Failure to Warn / Inform / Educate * USA Swimming Fact Sheet * State laws applicable to all sports organizations * Best practices found in state law - applicable to schools

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