Special Olympics Canada Winter Games Thunder Bay 2020 Emergency Action Plan
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Special Olympics Canada Winter Games
Thunder Bay 2020
Emergency Action Plan
January 2020 - Final
1Table of Contents
1. Overview
1.1 Purpose
1.2 Acronyms & Definitions
1.3 Document Control
2. Roles & Responsibilities
2.1 Emergency Roles & Responsibilities
2.2 Emergency Management Team
3. Venue Information
3.1 Team Accommodation
3.2 Main Operations Centre
3.3 Sport & Non-Sport Venues
4. Medical Services
4.1 Roles & Responsibilities
4.2 Service Providers
4.3 Coverage Plan
5. Security Services
5.1 Roles & Responsibilities
5.2 Service Providers
5.3 Coverage Plan
6. Accreditation Plan
6.1 Accreditation Badges
6.2 Access Control
7. Unplanned Expenses
8. Incident Notification
8.1 Key Information
8.2 Level of Emergency/Incident
8.3 Emergency Management Resource Personnel
8.4 Communication Process & Key Messages
8.5 Official Spokesperson
8.6 Determining Next Steps
8.7 Notification
8.8 Incident Report
9. Appendices
A. Communication Flow Chart
B. Accident/Incident Report Form
C. Overall Event Safety & Security
D. Specific Emergency Management Guidelines & Examples
E. Sample Public Statements & Key Messages
21. Overview
1.1 Purpose
This document describes the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games Thunder Bay 2020 operational
structure, resources and processes that may be activated under the authority of the Games Manager (or
designate, Blair McIntosh, SOC VP Sport) in the event of an emergency. The goal is to provide guidance
for Games personnel on important considerations and initial actions to follow when responding to an
emergency.
These guidelines have been written to direct the action of Special Olympics Canada (SOC), the Games
Organizing Committee (GOC) and the Provincial/Territorial teams in an organized manner in any
emergency to protect lives and property. The Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is NOT an evacuation plan;
however an evacuation plan is part of the EAP. In order to accomplish the goal of these guidelines and to
lessen the impact of any emergency, everyone needs to continually be in prevention mode. Eliminate
any possible sources of danger and/or hazard and/or notify an immediate supervisor of possible sources
of danger and/or hazard.
For the purposes of this document, an emergency is any situation that results in, or is likely to result in,
serious harm to persons or substantial damage to property or significant disruption to operations.
The plan acknowledges that SOC and GOC staff or volunteers may, by virtue of their deployment and
activities, be the initial point of alerting or discovery for a variety of incidents. However, in any
circumstances where criminal activity is suspected or involved, or the incident poses a threat to public
safety, or is possibly life-threatening, or for any other reason requires intervention and management by
law enforcement or public safety then responsibility for the deployment of appropriate personnel and
management of the emergency will rest with the appropriate agency commander.
This plan covers the Games period, which is from February 22nd – March 2nd, 2020.
All personnel should familiarize themselves with these guidelines and be able to render assistance as
needed in order to reduce injury, loss of life and property damage. Although these are guidelines, any
emergency may require flexible actions.
1.2 Acronyms & Definitions
Acronym/Term Definition
Accreditated Zones Areas of the venues that require access privileges to be specified on
an individual’s accreditation card and enforced by access control
volunteers.
Assembly Area Designated muster point outside a building
Chef de Mission Head of delegation for each province/territory
Emergency Management Designated members of the GOC and SOC with decision-making
Team authority in an emergency. Led by the Games Manager (or
designate).
Emergency Any situation that results in, or is likely to result in, serious harm to
persons or substantial damage to property or significant disruption
to operations
3Games Manager Responsible for the overall operation of the Games
Games Personnel/Member SOC, GOC, Provincial/Territorial Delegations, Volunteers
GOC Games Organizing Committee
EAP Emergency Action Plan
EMS Emergency Medical Services
MOC Main Operations Centre
SOC Special Olympics Canada
Venue Manager Responsible for managing their assigned venue
Venue Owner The individual or group that has controlling ownership of the Venue
prior to, during and after the Games
1.3 Document Control
This document and its contents are owned by SOC and was created in conjunction with the GOC.
Copies of this document are issued as follows:
No. of Copies Issued to
1 Games Manager
40 GOC
10 SOC Staff
8 Venue Owners
12 Chefs de Mission
2. Roles & Responsibilities
2.1 Emergency Roles & Responsibilities
Name & Role (GOC) Responsibility
Doug Henry, Games Manager Upon initial briefing, determine the following information:
Nature and severity of incident
Time and cause of incident
Number of injured
Property damage
Area the incident encompasses
Effect on surrounding activities and operations
and others in the near vicinity
Assistance required, including external assistance
Anticipated impact on the Venue/Event
Assemble Emergency Management Team if necessary and
outline next steps
Brief the affected Games personnel
Manage incident or emergency
Manage restitution of incident site (if required) including
repair of any damage to facilities.
Compile after action report
Assemble budget committee for any unplanned expenses
4 Act as spokesperson as required on Games related matters
Barry Streib, Chair Assist with emergency response as determined by Games
Manager and Emergency Management Team (where
applicable)
Julie Tilbury, Vice-Chair Assist with emergency response as determined by Chair
and Emergency Management Team (where applicable)
J.P. Levesque, Vice-Chair Assist with emergency response as determined by Chair
and Emergency Management Team (where applicable)
Markus Walser, Director of Work with Games Manager and Venue Owner in
Logistics facilitating an evacuation. This would include:
Coordinate venue resources
Assist with crowd movement
Ensure the safety and integrity of emergency exits and
egress routes within the area
Provide operational support to the Games Manager
Assist Games personnel in emergency response
procedures
Dr. Zaki Ahmed, Director of In conjunction with onsite medical team and Emergency
Medical Medical Services (EMS) where appropriate, coordinate all
patient needs including treatment, triage and
transportation needs by EMS
Coordinates all medical resources
Venue Managers Execute venue specific evacuation plans
Assist Games Manager and Emergency Management
Team as needed on emergency response procedures
Venue Owners Execute venue specific evacuation plans
Assist Games Manager and Emergency Management
Team as needed on emergency response procedures
Name & Role (SOC) Responsibility
Sharon Bollenbach, CEO Act as spokesperson as required
Blair McIntosh, VP, Sport SOC Lead on response to emergency situations as brought
forward by the Games Manager
Act as spokesperson as required
Designate for Games Manager
Karen Cinq Mars, Director, Coordinate and disseminate responses to the media,
Marketing & Communications public and Games personnel as required
Create key messages for SOC & GOC spokespeople
Larissa Cahute, Coordinate and disseminate responses to the media,
Communications & Media public and Games personnel as required
Manager
Kendra Isaak, Director, Sport & SOC support on response to emergency situations as
Competition brought forward by the VP, Sport
Serge Boulianne, Manager, SOC support on response to emergency situations as
Games & Competition brought forward by the VP, Sport
52.2 Emergency Management Team
During the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games 2020 certain situations, of a serious nature, could be
encountered that may be assessed as an “emergency”, requiring immediate attention and a detailed
plan of action.
An emergency is defined as any minor or major incident or situation that could threaten the health and
safety of athletes, volunteers or employees of the Games Organizing Committee, Special Olympics and
Games Venues; that negatively impedes or impacts any team members’ participation at the Games; or
that negatively reflects on the SOC brand. An emergency may result from an incident internal to the
team (eg. serious injury or illness) or an external incident (eg. fire in the Athletes’ Village).
Emergencies can fall into three different levels (see Section 8.2 and Appendix D for details) and may
include the following:
Delayed event
Minor venue property damage
Serious injury or illness to team member(s) (flu, food poisoning, loss of medications)
Lost or missing team member(s)
Criminal activities by any team member(s)
Major accident (car/bus accident)
Natural disasters (major thunderstorm, tornado, earthquake)
International situation or confrontation (political rally, protest)
The Games Manager will assess any emergency first and determine whether a meeting of the
Emergency Management Team needs to be convened. The Emergency Management Team consists of
members of the GOC and SOC with decision-making authority in an emergency and could vary in
composition depending on the situation. The Emergency Management Team is led by the Games
Manager who will draw upon other members of the team to provide assistance and/or information.
The Emergency Management Team will have the following members:
Name Title Emergency Management Team
Role
Doug Henry Games Manager Lead
Blair McIntosh VP, Sport Member
Barry Streib Games Chair Member
Markus Walser Security Member
Karen Cinq Mars Marketing & Communications Member
Larissa Cahute Marketing & Communications Member
Dr. Zaki Ahmed Medical If Required
Julie Tilbury Games Vice-Chair If Required
J.P. Levesque Games Vice-Chair If Required
Venue Owner(s) Venue Owner(s) If Required
Chef(s) de Mission Head of Delegation If Required
Kendra Isaak Director, Sport & Competition If Required
6Serge Boulianne Manager, Games & Competition If Required
3. Venue Information
3.1 Team Accommodation
Athletes, coaches and officials will be housed in six hotels in Thunder Bay.
Hotel Team (s)
Airlane Hotel BC
698 Arthur St W
Thunder Bay, ON P7E 5R8
Comfort Inn MB
660 W Arthur St W
Thunder Bay, ON P7E 5R8
Victoria Inn AB, NS, PEI, YT
555 Arthur St W
Thunder Bay, ON P7E 5R5
Hampton Inn NL
760 Arthur St W
Thunder Bay, ON P7E 5R9
Norwester Best Western QC, NB
2080 Hwy 61
Thunder Bay, ON P7J 1B8
Valhalla Inn ON, SK, NWT
1 Valhalla Inn Rd
Thunder Bay, ON P7E 6J1
3.2 Main Operations Centre
The Main Operations Centre (MOC) is the main operations hub during the Games. The MOC will service
special requests made to Games Operations as well as be the main communication hub to ensure all
aspects of the Games are being delivered. The MOC will be located on the second floor of the Valhalla
Inn. The hours of operation will be 12:00PM to 10:00PM February 23rd and 7:00AM to 10:00PM from
February 24-29, 2020. The contact number for the MOC is 807-623-4411 and this line will also be
monitored overnight.
3.3 Sport & Non-Sport Venues
Sport Venues
ALPINE SKIING
Loch Lomond
1800 Loch Lomond Road
Thunder Bay, ON P7J 1E9
75-PIN BOWLING
Galaxy Lanes
636 Arthur St W
Thunder Bay, ON P7E 5R8
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
Kamview Nordic Centre
851 20th Side Road
Thunder Bay, ON P7J 1M6
CURLING
Fort William Curling Club
218 Vickers St N
Thunder Bay, ON P7C 6A3
FIGURE SKATING
Thunder Bay Tournament Centre
2050 Mountain Road
Thunder Bay, ON P7J 1C8
FLOOR HOCKEY
Lakehead University – C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse
955 Sanders Drive
Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5E1
SNOWSHOEING
Chapples Golf Course
530 Chapples Park Dr
Thunder Bay, ON P7E 6S4
SPEED SKATING
Delaney Arena
300 Legion Track Dr
Thunder Bay, ON P7C 4L4
Non-Sport Venues
OPENING CEREMONY
Fort Williams Garden
901 Miles St E
Thunder Bay, ON P7C 1J9
HEALTHY ATHLETES and CLOSING CEREMONY
Valhalla Inn
1 Valhalla Inn Rd
Thunder Bay, ON P7E 6J1
84. Medical Services
4.1 Roles & Responsibilities
The role of the medical team is to service all events and people connected to the Games at both sport
and non-sporting events. The Director of Medical is Dr. Zaki Ahmed and he, along with his medical
team, can be reached by calling the MOC whose hours are the same as the polyclinic.
4.2 Service Providers
The on-site service providers will consist of Canadian Ski Patrol, registered nurses, physiotherapists and
physicians.
4.3 Coverage Plan
Canadian Ski Patrol or registered physiotherapists will be on site at all sport venues except for 5-pin
bowling. There will be a dedicated physician at both the alpine and cross-country venues and a travelling
physician will cover the remaining sport venues.
The polyclinic, located at the Valhalla Inn, will be staffed by registered nurses who will be on site from
12:00PM to 10:00PM February 23rd and 7:00AM to 10:00PM from February 24-29, 2020 and then on call
overnight. For those athletes whose accommodation is at or near the Norwester Best Western Hotel,
registered nurses will be on site at the figure skating venue during the day and then at the hotel
overnight.
Local Hospital:
Thunder Bay Regional Health Services Centre
980 Oliver Rd
Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6V4
Administrative Switchboard: 807-684-6000
Emergency: 9-1-1
Location: Approx. 10 mins drive from the team accommodations
5. Security Services
5.1 Roles & Responsibilities
The role of the Games security is to oversee all security needs for the Games accommodations as well as
monitor access control to Games venues including the field of play.
5.2 Service Providers
A number of different organizations will provide security during the Games including the Thunder Bay
Police Service, RCMP, OPP, First Nations Policing Services as well as local security firms in conjunction
with security students from nearby schools.
5.3 Coverage Plan
9Security personnel will be on site at all venues when they are in operation. Thunder Bay Police Services
will provide the coverage for Opening & Closing Ceremonies. Lakehead University will be serviced for 14-
16 hours a day, during their regular operating hours (6:00AM – 10:00PM February 24-28 and 8:00AM-
10:00PM February 29) and volunteers will be on site at venues for marshalling and to monitor parking
lots. Roving patrol will monitor outdoor venues overnight.
6. Accreditation Plan
6.1 Accreditation Badges
All athletes, coaches, games officials, media, games guests and staff will be equipped with a badge that
identifies them by their role during the Games. Only people with proper accreditation will be allowed
entry into a sport venue, the athletes’ villages or other games activities.
6.2 Access Control
Access zones will exist at all Games venues where athletes are present. Zones will be marked with
signage accompanied by volunteers who will monitor access.
7. Unplanned Expenses
A budget committee will be established for the Games period from February 25-29. This committee will
be responsible for making all decisions regarding unplanned or emergency expenditures during the
Games. This includes any unexpected occurrences that have substantial financial implications (ie. teams
are snowed in on a travel day and have to stay an extra night). The Games Manager will be responsible
for notifying the committee immediately should any unplanned expenses need to occur.
Committee Members:
Doug Henry, Games Manager
Blair McIntosh, VP, Sport (SOC)
Blair Smith, Director of Finance (GOC)
Barry Streib, Chair (GOC)
8. Incident Notification
When an incident has occurred (whether it be medical, behavioral, accidental or intentional), it should
be immediately reported to the Games Manager. The Games Manager, will immediately notify the SOC
Vice President, Sport and the other members of the Emergency Management Team, as required.
Following notification, these individuals will determine the level of emergency/incident. Please
document all information; injuries need to be reported through the Privit app and all other incidents
(behavioural, health, external) will require a written Incident Report Form (Appendix B), with specific
details.
108.1 Key Information
There are a few key points that are important for all team members when an incident has occurred or
when there is any sense that an incident can/will occur. You are the first conduit of information to the
incident, so you must act and think quickly and responsibly.
Bring the situation under control - always protect people first and property second. Solicit help
from others to acquire emergency support.
Analyze the situation to judge immediate action required;
Contact the Venue Manager first; Doug Henry, Games Manager second; then Blair McIntosh,
SOC third. Leave a voicemail message with key details, the day/time of the call and a call back
number;
Games Manager (or designate) will assess the situation and determine the next line of
communication based on internal vs external emergency;
Should further action be required, the Emergency Management Team will take the lead in
carrying out the emergency action plan and provide responses and positioning to internal and
external stakeholders;
Maintain attention on the individual(s) and collect information - complete an Incident Report
Form (Appendix B) as quickly as possible (accurate and detailed reporting is very important).
Each Provincial/Territorial team should have report forms for their respective teams;
The privacy of the individual involved and the integrity and reputation of GOC and SOC must be
protected at all times;
Do not answer questions or share information with parents, other teams, media, etc. without
authorization to do so;
Refer all public inquiries, including the media, to the SOC Communications Team;
No information should be provided or statements made in person or via social media;
Ensure the continued safety and security of all participants.
8.2 Level of Emergency/Incident
Once an incident has been reported to the Emergency Management Team a meeting or call shall take
place as quickly as possible to determine the level of emergency/incident. The Games Manager should
be notified for all levels of emergency/incident. Based on the level of emergency/incident, the
Emergency Management Team will determine the most appropriate action to resolve and/or reconcile
the incident.
The three types of emergencies are: (see Appendix D for examples of each level as well as the
appropriate course of action)
Level One Emergency:
A localized emergency, minor incident or accident which team personnel can typically manage on their
own by following the procedures outlined in this emergency action plan.
Level Two Emergency:
A moderate to serious emergency, incident, accident or situation that may extend beyond the team’s
response capability. The occurrence may require mutual aid assistance from the local fire
department, emergency medical services, police, poison control, etc.
11Level Three Emergency:
A critical incident or situation affecting the immediate area and beyond, where extensive aid
assistance is required, recovery time is prolonged, and the response time from first responders can be
seriously delayed and/or impaired.
Any incident where media interest outside of Thunder Bay (local media) is anticipated shall be considered
a Level 3 emergency.
8.3 Emergency Management Resource Personnel
Depending on the nature of the emergency, the Emergency Management Team may determine the
need for additional resources to establish and advise on the best steps to be taken in the situation. Any
individual, including non-team members such as Sport Canada, SOC CEO or others, may be used as a
resource in an emergency.
8.4 Communication Process & Key Messages
The driving principle of the plan is to provide a clear, simple, fast and reliable system of communication
such that all team members will feel connected and informed, and that their families and friends can be
rest assured that, in the event of an emergency, action will be taken quickly and information will be
available.
Throughout an emergency it is imperative that the Emergency Management Team communicates with
Special Olympics key publics with prepared statements for each segment ensuring consistency of
messages.
Apprising media in certain situations is essential and a response must place heavy emphasis on proper
management and communications with broadcast and print outlets. The Emergency Management Team
will monitor news and provide ongoing recommendations on media issues. Again, consistency in
messaging is critical.
When developing key messages, it is essential to gather the facts, incorporate the response and release
as much appropriate information as possible. A qualified communications person will provide direction
and follow some basic principles such as; acknowledge, empathize, inform of further investigation if
required and express confidence.
For examples of appropriate responses, see appendix E.
8.5 Official Spokesperson
On any incident considered an emergency (and some non-emergencies), the Emergency Management
Team must determine who is to be the official spokesperson. The following individuals should be
considered:
Sharon Bollenbach, Special Olympics Canada CEO
Blair McIntosh, Special Olympics Canada Vice President, Sport
Doug Henry, Games Manager
12 Barry Streib, Chair of Games Organizing Committee
Serge Boulianne, Special Olympics Canada Manager, Games & Competition (French
Spokesperson)
The identification of a spokesperson may be required in the event of a media conference and/or to
ensure that there is one voice communicating the approved messaging. In the absence of an official
statement and/or in addition to the official spokesperson, the Emergency Management Team may
authorize more than one or several individuals to address questions about the emergency or incident.
Unless identified as a spokesperson, members of provincial/territorial teams, the GOC, families or SOC
guests should not share information about the incident/emergency in person or via social media.
8.6 Determining Next Steps
Once the Emergency Management Team has determined the level of emergency and additional
resource people have been identified and consulted, the Emergency Management Team must
determine the next steps including:
What actions will be taken by SOC and the GOC;
Who is to receive official notification of the action to be taken;
Method of communication to various stakeholders. SOC will craft all messages;
Who will officially speak on behalf of SOC, GOC
8.7 Notification
The Emergency Management Team must also determine who, when and how “others” need to be
notified of the situation. Individuals or groups to be notified include, but are not limited to, the
following:
Special Olympics Canada Winter Games 2020 Organizing Committee (GOC)
Special Olympics Canada (SOC)
SOC Board/Executive & Governance Committee
SOC Chapters
Provincial/Territorial Delegations
Athlete Families/Best Contacts
Sponsors
SOI
Media
8.8 Incident Report
An Incident Report Form should be completed by the team member or individual reporting the incident
(see Appendix B – Accident/Incident Report) and should be submitted immediately after the incident
has occurred. The report should be completed in the individual’s own words, describing the incident as
precisely as possible.
13All incident reports will be kept on file and held in confidence by the Games Manager during the Games,
unless requested by law enforcement or legal, and by SOC following the Games. Special Olympics
Canada may use the information (minus individual names) to create a Special Olympics case book for
reference and training for future Emergency Management teams.
Emergency Action Plan Summary:
1. Assess the situation and take the appropriate Emergency next steps;
2. Report incident to Games Manager, Doug Henry;
3. Games Manager to determine level of emergency/incident;
4. Dependent on the level of emergency/incident the Games Manager convenes a meeting of
the Emergency Management Team;
5. Determine required ‘outside’ resource personnel to be consulted;
6. Emergency Management Team identifies next steps including who should be notified;
7. Emergency Management Team creates key messages and identifies official spokesperson;
and
8. Emergency Management Team operationalizes action plan;
9. Complete Incident Report.
14Appendix A – Communication Flow Chart
SITUATION COMMUNICATION PROCESS
• Venue Manager
• i) Games Manager assess situation
INCIDENT • ii) SOC VP Sport
• EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM CALL TO ACTION
(CTA) AS REQUIRED
• determine level of emergency
BRING UNDER
CONTROL
• DETERMINE COMMUNICATION ACTION PLAN
• who (key stakeholders) - how (in person, phone, text,
COLLECT etc) - what (content per stakeholder and call to
INFORMATION action) when (order of message delivery)
• IDENTIFY OFFICIAL SPOKESPERSON- inform & prepare
• SOC, CEO Sharon Bollenbach - SOC, VP SPORT Blair
McIntosh - GAMES MANAGER - Doug Henry, GAMES
REPORT AN INCIDENT-
INCIDENT REPORT CHAIR - Barry Streib
• OPERATIONALIZE ACTION PLAN
DETERMINE NEXT STEPS
BASED ON ACTION PLAN
15Appendix B – Accident/Incident Report Form
A. Name of Individual:________________________________________________________
Location of Accident/Incident: _____________________________________________
Date and Time of Accident/Incident: ___________________________________________
If the individual is an athlete:
Sport: _________________________________________________________________
Head Coach: _____________________________________________________________
Number the individual can be reached at if more information is required: _______________
B. Nature of Accident/Incident (including location and extent of one of the following areas):
i) Injury:_________________________________________________, or
ii) Behaviour:_______________________________________________, or
iii) Health Related (i.e. seizure, epilepsy): ____________________________, or
iv) External to team (ie. Accident, natural disaster): ________________________
C. Cause of Injury/Incident
i) Briefly describe circumstances leading to the injury/incident:
ii) Was a coach present or supervising? _____ Yes _____ No
iii) Was anyone else involved? _____ Yes _____ No
iv) If YES, who and how?
v) Was there any damage or fatalities? ______ Yes _____ No
D. Treatment/Action Taken
i) Treatment administered/action taken:
ii) By whom:
iii) Was the individual sent home? _____ Yes _____ No
iv) If YES, how and with whom:
v) Was the individual sent to hospital: _____ Yes _____ No
16vi) If YES, how and with whom:
E. Who Was Contacted:
i) Was a doctor called: _____ Yes _____ No
ii) If YES, name of doctor:
iii) Was the individual sent to a doctor? _____ Yes _____ No
iv) If YES, name of doctor:
v) Was parent/guardian notified? _____ Yes _____ No
vi) If YES, by whom?
vii) Were the police notified? ______Yes _____ No
viii) Was the fire department notified? ______ Yes _____ No
vix) Was building management notified? ______ Yes _____ No
x) Was the Chef de Mission notified? _____ Yes _____ No
xi) If YES, who was notified and by whom?
xii) Has there been any media attention? If so, what outlets?
F. List witnesses to accident/incident:
______________________________________________________________
G. Please add any further information which you consider important:
_________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
H. Signature of Individual:
Role:
Date:
Signature of Medical Person Attending Athlete (if applicable):
Date:
1 copy to Chapter Office
1 copy Chef De Mission or Team Manager
1 copy to Special Olympics Canada
1 copy to Games Organizing Committee, Date received: ____________________
17Appendix C – Overall Event Safety and Security
All Games participants should be familiar with the following safety and security points. The health,
safety, and security of all Special Olympics participants is of the utmost priority.
1. Call the respective Team Manager or Chef de Mission first with general problems (call the Games
Manager for emergencies).
2. Be sure all athletes and coaches wear their credentials.
3. Seek out a GOC security volunteer, staff member, or hotel staff if anything seems suspicious.
4. Have available all athlete medicals forms.
5. Carry emergency phone numbers with you at all times.
6. Meet and get to know any “day of” volunteers who are assigned to your group
7. Be sure athletes know not to go off alone with unknown persons or to carry anything for anyone.
8. Carry a cell phone if you have one and keep the emergency contact list with you at all times.
9. Remember that there is a zero tolerance policy in effect for any pranks concerning safety issues by
athletes, coaches, or mission staff. Anyone violating this policy will be asked to leave the event with
potential for further action.
10. Set up a procedure to notify families and the general public of a change/cancellation in the
schedule which may happen before, during, or at the end of the event.
11. Carry a flashlight in your backpack.
EXTRA PRECAUTIONS AT HOTELS
1. Write down the names and hotel room numbers of all athletes, coaches and mission staff. Make
sure that the Games Organizing Committee has the most updated list of all delegates’ room numbers.
2. Write down the coaches’/mission staff room numbers for the athletes so they can call if they need
assistance.
3. Give each coach/mission staff a specific set of rooms (and keys) to notify and account for
athletes in the event of an emergency.
4. Confer with all coaches/mission staff to confirm meeting point for your hotel in case of emergency.
5. Write down the room number of the medical room in your hotel.
6. Do a final room check before going to bed to ensure all athletes are in rooms.
7. Have athletes leave their shoes and coats in a place near the door so they can quickly put these
on before leaving the hotel in the event of a fire.
8. Keep a backpack or bag with the following items in it near the door so that you can quickly grab
it on your way out: car keys (if applicable), cell phone, emergency numbers, athlete medicals,
wallet, shoes, and coat.
MEETING POINTS IN EVENT OF EMERGENCY
Once on site at any Games, you will be informed of designated emergency evacuation meeting points
for the hotels and/or the venues, along with the contact details for the polyclinic.
If there is a fire in the hotel or at a venue and you need to leave the facility, be sure coaches/mission
staff have accounted for all their athletes and fellow coaches. When leaving the building, follow
instructions of hotel staff/facility personnel and use nearest exit door. Stay where instructed until
notified by hotel/facility/Games Manager.
18PROCEDURES FOR TOTAL EVACUATION OF AREA
If the GOC has to ask delegations to evacuate from the Games completely, the following procedures
will be followed:
1. Games Manager (or designate) will notify each Chef de Mission by phone or through a meeting (if
time permits) of need to evacuate.
2. If we are only leaving the vicinity and not the games entirely, the Games Manager (or designate)
will provide a meeting point and directions.
3. If the Games have been cancelled and they are sending delegations home, the Games Manager (or
designate) will provide time constraints and evacuation routes to follow if appropriate.
4. The Chef de Mission for each delegation will account for all coaches/mission staff and athletes and
their belongings.
5. The GOC will secure transportation for trip out of area.
6. Once everyone is accounted for, the GOC will work with SOC and the Chefs de Mission on next
steps.
If an athlete is missing and delegation is ready to depart, notify the Games Manager immediately. If
time is crucial for departure, the Chef de Mission or Team Manager and one coach/mission staff from
the delegation must stay behind to look for missing athlete and the rest of the delegation will depart.
Once the athlete is found, the coach/mission staff and Team Manager/Chef de Mission will make
plans to either meet up with the delegation if nearby or will arrange to take all parties back home.
19APPENDIX D – SPECIFIC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES AND EXAMPLES
LEVEL ONE EMERGENCIES
A Level 1 Emergency is defined as a localized emergency, minor incident or accident which team
personnel can typically manage on their own.
Level One Examples:
Delayed event (but to be held the same day)
Sick participant not requiring hospitalization
Injured participant/spectator/volunteer – treated on-site or taken to the emergency room but
released
Minor venue property damage
Severe weather watch
The Venue Manager has first response authority for all Level 1 emergencies. He/she should be made
aware of all Level 1 emergencies that occur on site. Most Level 1 emergencies will involve the
notification of the Games Manager as well as SOC. It is important that if a power outage occurs lifts
and elevators are checked for participants who may need assistance.
Follow General Emergency Procedures outlined in Appendix C.
COLD WEATHER PROCEDURE
The following guidelines have been developed to ensure all Games participants are aware of the process
that will be followed should we encounter extreme weather conditions during the Games.
The Main Operations Centre (MOC) will be responsible for monitoring weather forecasts daily. If the
temperature is expected to be -25 Celsius or below (with the wind chill) or if severe snow/ice storms are
expected on any given day, a committee will be convened to review that day’s, as well as the following
day’s schedule to determine if any competitions need to be rescheduled.
The committee will be comprised of the Games Manager, a representative from the SOC Sport
Department, the MOC Manager, the GOC Director of Sport(s) and the affected Sport Manager(s).
Should a decision be made to postpone competition to later in the day or possibly another day or to
change the competition format for the safety of the athletes, coaches and officials, this will be
communicated to the teams via the Chefs de Mission before the scheduled competition is due to take
place. A communication will be distributed via the Games Manager to the rest of the GOC and all
volunteers and it will also be posted to the Games website and disseminated through the GOC and SOC
social channels to notify the public.
In order to minimize the effects of extreme cold, the following steps will also be taken as a precaution
where possible.
Indoor facilities or heated tents will be available to all participants
Marshalling will occur in heated spaces
Non-essential outdoor activities or training sessions may be cancelled or postponed
20These precautions will be the responsibility of the Games Organizing Committee in conjunction with
Special Olympics Canada.
Note: The maximum temperature of -25 Celsius is based on recommendations from our NSO partners
LEVEL TWO EMERGENCIES
A Level 2 Emergency is a moderate to serious emergency, incident, accident or situation that may
extend beyond the team’s response capability. The occurrence may require mutual aid assistance from
the local fire department, emergency medical services, police, poison control, etc.
Level Two Examples include:
Canceled event
Postponed event
Moved event/change of venue
Injured or ill participant/spectator/volunteer – requiring
hospitalization
Food poisoning/contamination
Missing participant
Allegations of wrongdoing by or arrest of a participant
Allegations of wrongdoing by or arrest of a spectator/volunteer/staff/guest or celebrity (if
financial, see level 3)
Illegal use of drugs/alcohol
Major venue property damage
Transportation accident
Honored Guest concerns, e.g.: crowds, protection, threats
Protests/Demonstrations
Allegations or actions against an organization that impacts Special Olympics Canada
Attack by the media against Special Olympics Canada or Chapters
Negative campaigning against Special Olympics Canada
Alleged discrimination against Special Olympics Canada participant within or outside of Special
Olympics
The Venue Manager has first response authority to take action for all Level 2 emergencies. The Venue
Manager must then notify the Games Manager immediately.
Response to all Level 2 emergencies will involve the input of the Emergency Management Team who
will notify external stakeholders as needed.
LOST/FOUND ATHLETES
A lost or found athlete will probably be the most common emergency to be encountered. If you have
found an athlete contact the Games Manager as soon as possible and, follow the following
procedures:
Get all the information from the athlete’s credentials.
Stay with the athlete at the location found, someone may be looking for the athlete and may
return to the area.
Staying within the vicinity of the area, look for others that may be part of the athlete’s
delegation.
21 Make the distinction between having found an athlete and having lost one. The Games
Manager will attempt to contact the delegation.
Many athletes are afraid that they will get into trouble for being lost -- DON’T put any blame on
them.
If you lost an athlete or someone has reported a lost athlete to you:
Stay with the person who reported them missing. They are generally the best bet of finding the
athlete.
Get all the information to the Games Manager.
Complete description (i.e., height, weight, age, hair length and color, type of clothing, etc.).
When and where last seen
Events they may have participated in
Athlete’s level of ability and functionality
The Games Manager will provide information to the GOC and will have rooms checked, etc.
LEVEL THREE EMERGENCIES
A critical incident or situation affecting the immediate area and beyond, where extensive aid
assistance is required, recovery time is prolonged, and the response time from first responders can be
seriously delayed and/or impaired.
Any incident where media interest outside of Thunder Bay (local media) is anticipated shall be considered
a Level 3 emergency.
Level Three Examples include:
Local or national declared emergency (e.g., natural disaster, power outage, terrorist attack).
Actual impact of severe weather (e.g., hurricane, tornado)
Flood/snowstorm (if it shuts down operations)
Bomb threat
Contagious health threat or outbreak
Missing participant or volunteer under suspicious circumstances
Death of a participant
Death of spectator or volunteer
Fire
Criminal activity
Financial fraud or fundraising scandal
Sexual abuse
The Venue Manager has first response responsibility for emergency action for all Level 3 emergency
situations. During a Level 3 Emergency, the Venue Manager may be subordinate to the reigning police,
fire or emergency management official in command of the emergency scene.
For all Level 3 Emergencies, the Games Manager must be notified immediately. They will then
immediately notify the Emergency Management Team and convene a meeting or call as quickly as
possible.
FIRE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
If you discover the fire:
22 Alert people in the area. Find the fire alarm and pull it.
Evacuate the building using the nearest exit and proceed to the nearest evacuation assembly
point.
As you leave the building, contain the fire by closing doors behind you.
If you hear the fire alarm:
Do not assume it is a false alarm!
Evacuate the facility and proceed to the nearest assembly point. Do not use elevators.
Place your hand on the door. If it is hot do not open it. If it is not hot, open it
slowly and be prepared to close it at once if the hallway is full of smoke or fire.
If there is no smoke or fire in the hallway, move quickly using the nearest exit stairway
and follow the evacuation procedures.
If there is smoke in the hallway, crawl on your hands and knees to the exit. If the exit is
smoked- filled, go to the other exit stairway on the floor.
If you are trapped in a room keep the door closed. If available, place something wet
across the bottom of the door. If there is a window and you are on the bottom floor,
exit via the window. If you are above the first floor or the jump from the first floor is too
risky, DO NOT JUMP. If possible open the window and place something brightly
coloured in the window so the firefighters will know you are in the room. Stay calm and
DO NOT JUMP.
REMEMBER: Follow the evacuation procedures and meet at the assembly point for the
facility.
BOMB THREAT PROCEDURES
If you receive a bomb threat, remain calm, listen carefully to what the caller is saying and write it down
if possible.
Keep the caller talking and try to obtain the following information:
Where is the bomb?
What will cause it to explode?
When will it explode?
Did you place the bomb? Why?
What does it look like?
What kind of bomb is it?
What is your name?
Record the details such as time of call, whether caller was male or female, any distinctive voice
characteristics (accent, manner, speech, etc.), whether there was background noise or references to
Special Olympics or local issues.
When the caller hangs up:
Call 911 and share details collected above - be prepared to give your name, phone
number, and exact location with details of the threat.
Contact the Games Manager and they will notify the Emergency Management Team.
Do not spread word of the threat.
Do not evacuate unless told to. The decision to evacuate will be made by proper authorities.
If evacuation notice is given, follow the evacuation procedures found in this handbook
and meet at the evacuation assembly point.
23 Ensure that all your athletes and members of your delegation are accounted for.
Find the Games Manager (or designate) and report the status of all members in your
delegation. This step is very important. They will have to advise the emergency response
team of anyone who may still be in the facility.
Do not re-enter the facility until told to by the Fire Department, Police Officer, or a
member of the Emergency Management Team. Stay at the rally point until allowed to
return to the building, notify the Games Manager if you are leaving the rally point for
another location.
DEATH OF A PARTICIPANT/SERIOUS INJURY
Immediately call 911 and Emergency Response Personnel.
Do not leave the victim unattended.
If trained, perform preliminary first aid/CPR.
Do not move the victim unless an immediate situation dictates evacuation.
If at a venue, flag down or send someone to get a Medical Staff Member. The EMT or
other first responder will identify a coach/mission staff to accompany the injured or ill
person to the hospital with relevant medical information.
Mission Staff/Coach should contact their Chef de Mission immediately
The Chef de Mission will contact the Games Manager who will notify the Emergency
Management Team and share pertinent information and coordinate the appropriate
response.
In the event of death:
The Emergency Management Team will initiate appropriate action to determine cause of death from
local law enforcement or medical response personnel.
The victim’s next of kin will be notified prior to making any public announcements.
The Emergency Management Team will determine the appropriate method of informing internal
and external stakeholders and will prepare a news media release, if appropriate.
SOC will provide for on-going mechanisms to deal with the effects of the crisis (grievance counselors,
etc.).
EPIDEMIC/PANDEMIC EVENTS
The term “communicable disease” means an illness which is capable of being spread to a susceptible
host through the direct or indirect transmission of an infectious agent or its toxic product by an
infected person, animal or arthropod, or through the inanimate environment.
A pandemic crisis is defined as an epidemic of a communicable disease that becomes extremely
widespread affecting an entire region, country, or the world. In the event that a pandemic crisis has
been identified by local authorities, Special Olympics Canada will follow the directives of the Ontario
Department of Health (ODH) and/or the Medical Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Emergency Management Team in conjunction with Games Organizing Committee members will:
1. Assess direct advice as provided by the Department of Health or the CDC, determine appropriate
action, and prepare crisis communications.
2. Communicate decisions on possible event cancellations/rescheduling, etc. and travel
restrictions/recommendations to all team members.
243. Monitor health status of all team members.
4. If necessary, distribute official statement to key stakeholders.
Staff/Volunteer Responsibilities:
1. Know the symptoms and transmission means of the potential health threat.
2. Notify the team doctors immediately if feeling sick
CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
1. Notify the Chef de Mission and/or Team Manager(s) of an incident that could be criminal in nature.
2. The Chef de Mission and/or Team Manager will notify the Emergency Management Team (EMT) and
LOC
3. The EMT, LOC and local law enforcement will determine if the incident constitutes criminal activity.
4. Law enforcement takes appropriate action and the EMT assists as appropriate.
5. EMT to determine appropriate response.
25APPENDIX E – SAMPLE PUBLIC STATEMENTS & KEY MESSAGES
Level 1 Crisis Situations
Delayed, Moved or Cancelled Venue for Special Olympics Games or Event “Because of [DESCRIBE
INCIDENT], the Special Olympics Games or Event [NAME OF VENUE OR EVENT] scheduled for [DAY,
TIME] has been [CANCELED/MOVED TO /OR DELAYED UNTIL _]. Spectators, athletes,
volunteers and staff should [GIVE INSTRUCTIONS]. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
For more information, call [PHONE NUMBER].”
Minor Athletic Injuries: No Hospitalization Required
“A Special Olympics [DELEGATION] athlete was injured [DESCRIBE INCIDENT] at [IDENTIFY THE EVENT] at
the [VENUE/OTHER LOCATION] in [CITY] this [MORNING/AFTERNOON/EVENING], according to [TEAM
OFFICIAL]. Our on-site emergency medical team responded immediately and the athlete was treated for
minor [TYPE OF INJURY]. We all wish the athlete a speedy recovery.”
Level 2 Crisis Situations
Serious Injury – Immediate Statement
“We have just learned that one of our [ATHLETES/VOLUNTEERS/COACHES] has been involved in a
[TYPE] accident. We do not yet know if [HE/SHE] was injured. We will provide more information as it
becomes available.”
When Injuries are confirmed
“[NUMBER] people were injured during [DESCRIBE INCIDENT] at [IDENTIFY THE EVENT] at [LOCATION] in
[CITY] at [TIME]. [MAY NEED TO ADD THAT CAUSE IS UNKNOWN BUT IS BEING INVESTIGATED.]
“The health and well-being [MAY MENTION EXTENT OF INJURY IF KNOWN] of
[ATHLETES/VOLUNTEERS/COACHES/ALL INVOLVED] is our primary concern. We are extremely
saddened and concerned that this occurred.
“We are in the process of notifying the families and will release names of those injured once their
families have been contacted.”
When Families Have Been Notified
“[NAME, TITLE] was involved in a [TYPE] accident at [IDENTIFY THE EVENT at [LOCATION] at [TIME].
[HE/SHE] has sustained a [TYPE] injury according to [HOSPITAL OFFICIAL]. [HE/SHE] is under a physician’s
care at [HOSPITAL NAME]. We wish [NAME OF INJURED] all the best for a speedy recovery.”
Level 3 Crisis Situations
Death of a Participant
Never make a public statement before the family has been notified, you have learned their wishes and
coordinated with authorities to ensure that information is factual and correct.
Initial Statement
“A [DESCRIBE ACCIDENT] occurred at the [IDENTIFY THE EVENT] at [LOCATION] in
[CITY] at [TIME]. Emergency response organizations have been alerted and all efforts
are being taken to assess the situation.”
26“At this time we know there have been injuries. As soon as more information is available, we will
provide it to you.” [ALSO MAY NEED TO INDICATE THAT THE CAUSE IS
UNKNOWN BUT UNDER INVESTIGATION.]
When death is confirmed
“[NUMBER] people were killed during [DESCRIBE INCIDENT] at [LOCATION] in [CITY] at [TIME]. [MAY
ALSO NEED TO INDICATE THAT CAUSE IS UNKNOWN AND UNDER INVESTIGATION.]
“The health and well-being of [ATHLETES/COACHES/MISSION STAFF/STAFF/ALL INVOLVED] is our
primary concern. Our deepest sympathies go to the families of those who died. We are doing all we
can to help [THOSE WHO WERE INJURED/FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO DIED] in this difficult time.
“We will release the names of those who died once their families have been
contacted.”
You may want to consider a joint media briefing with the medical examiner’s office to discuss cause of
death. Work with law enforcement officials to determine how this announcement will be made. You
may also want to contact an attorney in the event there is a death.
“We join the family and friends of [NAME, TITLE] in mourning [HIS/HER] death. Our deepest sympathies
go to [HIS/HER] family and to all who knew [HIS/HER]. [NAME] will be sorely missed. This tragedy is a
great loss to the Special Olympics Canada family.”
Criminal Activity
It is strongly recommended that a joint briefing with a law enforcement spokesperson is
held. You may also want to contact an attorney prior to issuing a statement.
“We have just learned that a Special Olympics [DELEGATION] athlete [ATHLETE/STAFF/COACH/MISSION
STAFF/ALL INVOLVED] has been involved in [DESCRIBE ALLEGED INCIDENT]. We do not know the details
of the situation and will not speculate on the matter.”
“Special Olympics Canada is committed to producing a safe, world-class athletic event for Special
Olympics athletes. We will cooperate fully with investigating agencies, and we intend to undertake a
detailed investigation of our own.”
WHAT THE MEDIA WILL WANT TO KNOW IN LEVEL 3 EMERGENCIES
The media will most likely want to know the following information during a Level 3 Emergency. In the
process of collecting critical information, make sure to have answers to the following in each scenario.
Media also will ask what steps are being taken to prevent a repeat occurrence.
Casualties
Number killed or injured or who escaped injury (use caution with initial numbers).
Nature of injuries received.
Care given to the injured.
Cause of death (Use caution and avoid assigning responsibility or blame).
Disposition of the dead.
Prominence of anyone who was killed, injured or who escaped.
Property Damage
Estimated value of loss.
Description of property.
Importance of property.
Other property threatened.
27 Insurance protection (Do not discuss amounts of coverage).
Previous emergencies in the area.
Causes
Statements by participants.
Statements by witnesses.
Statements by key responders – the venue emergency response team, police, fire, etc.
How emergency was discovered.
Who sounded the alarm.
Who summoned aid.
Previous indication of danger.
Rescue and Relief
The number of people engaged in rescue and relief operation.
Any prominent person in relief crew.
Equipment used.
Physically disabled persons rescued.
Care of destitute and homeless.
How the emergency was prevented from spreading.
How property was saved.
Acts of heroism.
Description of the Crisis or Disaster
Extent of crisis situation.
Blasts and explosions.
Crimes of violence.
Attempts at escape or rescue
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