First Aid
Recommendations
for Tournaments
• Find and schedule volunteers to work the first aid
station (first aid/CPR training preferred). • CPR mouth barrier or pocket mask (such
as a Microshield X-L Mouth Barrier)
• If outdoors, establish a covered medical space
(tent) and clearly mark it. • Sterile hypoallergenic or latex surgical gloves
• If indoors, establish a medical space near
the courts and clearly mark it. • Ice bags or instant chemical cold packs
• Have a basic first aid kit (bandages, gauze,
medical tape, etc.).
• Determine if an AED unit is on-site. If so, make
sure the first aid team knows its location.
• Paramedic or EMT scissors
• Splinter tweezers
• Standard oral thermometer
• Wooden tongue depressors
• Small flashlight and spare batteries
• Have cold water and sports drinks with electrolytes.
• Ziploc bags to hold ice for ice packs
• Rescue blanket
• Cell phone
• Incident Report forms and a pen (USAPA sends
a copy to all tournament directors.)
• For emergencies, call 9-1-1. Also know the local
emergency phone numbers and addresses of the
nearest hospital or urgent care facility.
• It is not recommended that you administer
medication to players or volunteers.
—From USAPA Tournament Director’s Guide
When
Seconds
Matter
BY TRACEY THOMPSON
AND KEVIN COSTA
It was a fairly quiet weekend in the first aid
tent—a few scrapes and cramps, bumps and
bruises, too much sun—nothing out of the
ordinary. On Sunday afternoon, a call came
over the loudspeaker for First Aid on Court
8. More muscle cramps. Kevin grabbed his
bag and headed over. I followed with a few
mustard packs. Seconds later, someone
redirected me to a group gathered nearby.
Someone had collapsed.
My first impression was a seizure, but that
quickly changed when the player’s breathing
pattern went from deep respirations to
sporadic to none.
Kevin and I started CPR. We were soon in
control of the man’s airway as Kevin checked
his pulse. Finding none, he applied his
Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)
that announced “Shock Advised.” Kevin
delivered a shock that, in very dramatic
fashion, reset the player’s heart rate.
Within minutes, heart rate, respiration
and blood pressure returned and
remained stable when the paramedics
arrived. Unfortunately, our patient was
still unresponsive.
That evening, I was surprised to get a
photo and text from Kevin: “Amazing. As
if nothing ever happened.” The player was
alert and doing well!
This wasn’t the first arrest to occur at our
courts this summer. At a previous tournament,
a spectator collapsed and also required
emergency care. Let’s face it—many of us who
play and attend pickleball tournaments are
“chronologically challenged.” The possibility
of a true emergency is real. Many of you
reading this likely have similar stories.
We’ll never know what would have happened
if Kevin hadn’t been thoroughly prepared for
the emergency situation, but the immediate
availability of an AED, as well as someone
trained to use it, can literally be the difference
between life and death.
We wrote this article to spark a conversation.
What’s the “standard of care” for first aid/
medical care at pickleball tournaments?
Should AEDs be immediately available? If
so, who is trained in their use? Pickleball
tournament or not, anyone can learn
compression-only CPR, which can be critical
while awaiting emergency responders. We
suggest these questions be addressed at any
pickleball venue. Logistics can be challenging
but potentially lifesaving.
Resuscitation is truly a team effort. We’d like
to acknowledge the many people who stepped
in to help.
JULY/AUGUST 2019 |
MAGAZINE
39