A critical incident at your club can be any situation that causes a person to experience unusually strong emotional reactions that have an ability to interfere with their ability to function normally. It can be a single event or a result of one or more longer term events.

In clubs, typical critical events might include;

• Threats, robberies, violent incidents or assaults
• Workplace bullying
• Accidents at the club
• Serious injury or illness of a staff, team, or community member
• Fire, flood or other natural disasters.

Such incidents can often be sudden and unexpected but can also have a significant impact on a club’s operation and staff morale. How individuals respond to such an event will differ and depends on their perception of the event and their ability to cope.

Clubs have a duty of care to look after the people they employ and to members and guests who frequent their premises. Establishing policies and procedures to respond to possible critical incidents is essential, rather than assuming that the responsible person on duty understands what to do, how to do it and when.

Initially clubs should undertake a risk evaluation and develop procedures applicable for each type of risk, which might cover;

• Who should take control, what action is required and which tasks can be delegated
• Making the scene of the incident safe for everyone
• Assessing casualties and administrating first aid
• Calling emergency services
• Escalation to key club people on and off-site
• Completion of an incident report

Knowing what to do when an event occurs is one of the important steps to mitigate severe psychological reactions. Clubs should consider assistance for staff involved in a critical incident. Help is available through several sources but CCV partner Trauma Centre of Australia, has already assisted many member clubs.

CCV Member Step by Step Guide To Initial Trauma Response