Protocols in Emergency Cases

Risk prevention and management plans/protocols for emergencies

 

Covid-19 Virus Prevention Plan and Protocols

 

In order to enjoy the mountain in the safest possible way, we have developed and trained ourselves to receive our clients with measures and prevention protocols against the Covid-19 virus, which you can read in detail here:

 

https://allmountain.cl/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Protocolos-Allmountain-Covid-19-TREKKING-EXPEDICIONES-Y-OTRAS-1-1.pdf



Risk prevention and management plan/protocols in case of regular emergencies

 

Objective criteria (conditions of the place where the program and/or activity takes place, climate, time of year, etc.).

 

In case of weather conditions such as: rain, snow, strong winds, evident risk of forest fires or electrical storms, the activity will be suspended.

 

  • Season: Operational all year round (except in the case of the weather conditions mentioned above).

 

Subjective criteria (regarding the capacity and age of the persons, participants).

 

  • Have a physical disability in the upper or lower extremities, pregnant women, children under 10 years of age, over 70 years of age, or have cardiovascular problems (hypertension and/or diabetes).
  • Use caution in the handling of equipment by the participants, which could eventually cause a safety risk to the group. Example: Bad handling of the climbing rope, carabiners and others.
  • The maximum number of clients to carry out the activity in stable weather conditions is 6 clients per guide. In adverse weather conditions, the maximum number of clients per guide is 3. However, Allmountain always works with an assistant guide, whether 3 clients or 6 clients.
  • **The following will not be accepted by guides or clients: confused states, drunkenness, psychotropic drugs, etc. (except for people who require them due to some kind of treatment, for example: panic attacks, anxiety, etc. and who can perform the activities in a normal way, since the aforementioned states would hinder their ability to perform the activities).

 

Conditions that would affect the development of the activity:

 

  • The activity may be suspended if any member of the team does not follow the guide’s instructions.
  • The activity may be suspended due to weather conditions, such as: rain, snow, strong winds or evident risk of forest fire or electrical storm.
  • The activity may be suspended if the following geographic situations occur: landslides, river flooding, flooding, etc.
  • An activity may be suspended inside a protected area when the relevant authority (CONAF or Carabineros) establishes it for safety reasons.
  • The activity may be suspended when any member of the group suffers an incident or accident.
  • The activity may be suspended if any member of the team does not comply with the previously established rules of behavior (consuming alcohol, drugs, and/or other substances before, during, or after the activity).
  • The activity may be suspended when it is detected that the equipment or part of it is in poor condition for the activity.
  • The activity may be suspended if the guide catches a client performing a reckless action that puts his integrity and that of the equipment at risk.
  • The activity may be suspended in case the vehicle has any damage (if any relevant authority (police or others) establishes it for safety reasons).
  • Allmountain will suspend the activity if the vehicles are not in optimal conditions for the activity.
  • Allmountain and the guide will suspend the activity if one of the participants is in an evident state of having consumed alcohol or psychotropic substances.

 

Procedure in case of accident:

 

  1. The guide will activate the contingency plan: He will communicate, via cell phone, with the Andean Rescue Corps, Firefighters and Carabineros, and will provide detailed information about the injured person, place and coordinates to facilitate rescue.
  2. The guide will provide first aid and stabilize the injured client until the agencies in charge of rescuing and providing definitive assistance to the client arrive.
  3. The guide will communicate with the nearest medical center via cell phone.
  4. The guide will suspend the activity.

 

Procedure in case of accident/incident:

 

The guide communicates the client’s status through our satellite equipment. The guide will document and file the events, once they have already happened, in order to later evaluate the effectiveness of the prevention and risk management plan. With this, it is intended to maintain an updated file on accidents and/or incidents for later analysis and statistics.

 

Procedure in case of accident:

  1. Assessment of the scene and hazards associated with the terrain.
  2. Assessment of the injured person.
  3. Provision of first aid.
  4. Assessment and determination of severity.
  5. Determination of field treatment permanency or evacuation to a definitive care facility.

 

Procedure in the event of an incident:

  1. Evaluate what caused the incident.
  2. Check person and/or equipment.
  3. Investigate what caused the incident.
  4. Correct and repair.

 

The guide must act according to his experience and training in first aid courses in remote areas (WFR).

In case of minor incidents, the guide may request the first aid kit.

 

Procedure in case of rendering first aid:

 

  • The guide with first aid certification (WFR certification) stabilizes the injured person, while the rescue teams arrive, be it Andean Rescue, Firefighters, etc.
  • The guide evaluates breathing and vital signs and proceeds to perform CPR if necessary.
  • The assistant guide will evacuate or take other participants to a safe place.
  • The assistant guide will immediately communicate the incident or accident to the person in charge in case of emergency.
  • The guide will request and make use of the first aid kit and immobilization table, if necessary. This first aid kit must be adequate, with all its elements in good condition: prophylaxis: clean gloves, masks, and glasses; unexpired medications (check expiration date), etc.
  • The guide and assistant guide will identify the evacuation or rescue point closest to the public road.
  • In the case of a minor injury and if it is controlled with the first aid provided by the guide, the client should return with the assistant guide to the vehicle while the guide continues with the activity.
  • In case of a serious injury, the guide will suspend the activity and the contingency plan mentioned above will be initiated, regardless of the injury (serious, less serious or minor), the guide will always check the client and provide first aid. If necessary, the aforementioned rescue and assistance teams will be contacted.

 

Procedure in case of rendering first aid:

 

The evacuation procedures in case of emergency are: The guide must activate contingency plan and notify the authorities in charge (Andean Rescue, Fire Department, Carabineros).

The means used to transport an injured or sick client are by vehicle (company vehicle in the case of illness and/or minor injuries), ambulance (in the case of a seriously injured client requiring intensive care), firefighters, and Andean Rescue (in the case of a rescue). In any case, each of these entities will be notified for the safety and security of our clients.

 

Emergency evacuation:

 

This includes the means to transport a sick or injured person to a medical care center, considering the geographical position, distance, direction from the point of the accident, evacuation routes and means of transportation to do so (vehicle, airplane, helicopter, boat or others).

 

Emergency evacuation procedures are as follows:

 

  1. The guide must activate the contingency plan and notify the authorities in charge (Andean Rescue, Fire Department, Carabineros).
  2. The means used to transfer an injured or sick client are by vehicle (company vehicle in the case of illness and/or minor injuries), ambulance (in the case of a seriously injured client requiring intensive care), fire department and Andean Rescue (in the case of rescue). In any case, each of these entities will be notified for the safety and security of our clients.

 

Search and rescue procedure:

 

In the event that a participant goes astray:

 

  1. The guide must activate the contingency plan: remain calm, communicate the situation to the assistant guide by radio or, if he/she is nearby, communicate the procedure to be followed. The team in the vehicle sector (driver) will also be notified of the situation.
  2. The guide stops the activity immediately, keeps the group together, explains the situation and the procedure to follow to both the clients and the assistant guide. The assistant guide may go to the starting point with the other clients, while the guide activates the contingency plan and detects the points where the lost client could be found.
  3. The guide should contact the Carabineros (133 Central de Carabineros), or the Carabineros closest to the place where the activity takes place and/or the Andean Rescue Corps at (02)26994764.
  4. The guide must clearly inform: the place where the activity will take place, possible places where the client could have gone astray, GPS coordinates of the location, the conditions of the place (meteorological, geographic, etc.) and thus coordinate the rescue in the most effective way.
  5. The guide should provide as much information as possible to the relevant authority or institution (e.g., Andean Rescue Corps, Carabineros), including the client’s clothing, last time he/she was seen, physical characteristics, etc.
  6. The client’s next of kin should be informed of the situation (in case the search for the client lasts for a significant number of hours).
  7. If the client is found in good physical condition and without any inconvenience and in a short period of time (minutes), the guide may resume the activity. If the client is in a rescue situation (for example, physical damage), the guide can stabilize him/her while the rescue agencies arrive, such as: Firefighters, Andean Rescue Corps and/or Carabineros, and the activity will be suspended immediately (in both cases, regardless of whether or not rescue is required, the contingency plan mentioned above will be activated).

 

Basic crisis management and handling:

 

  • Suspension of the activity to the rest of the participants of the group and follow the instructions of the guide.
  • Meeting with users (and/or family members) to calm them down.
  • Control of information to the media (no statements until the end of the procedure).
  • Activate internal search and rescue procedures.
  • Activate externally coordinated search and rescue procedures.

 

Procedure in case of fire:

 

  1. The guide will give the order for the team and clients to quickly evacuate the area.
  2. The assistant guide or the guide will call to alert and ask for help from the Fire Department.
  3. The guide will use a fire extinguisher, if one is nearby in case it is small.
  4. The team will be alert to detect changes in fire direction and communicate changes to others.
  5. The guide and his assistant will check escape routes and possible safe zones (Public road, away from vegetation, etc. as appropriate).
  6. The guide will determine, according to the conditions of the fire (large, small, controllable), if the activity is suspended or continued (in case of a fire of major proportions, the activity will be cancelled for the safety of the team and the clients).

 

Safety measures and procedures in case of natural disasters:

 

  • Alluviums: Alluviums cause bridge collapses, which could leave the team isolated. For this, the team provides more food, water, and personal protective equipment (blankets, gloves, etc.) to keep the group safe while awaiting rescue, if necessary. The guides will have identified safety zones. In case of this type of situation, the activity will be suspended.
  • Overflows and flash floods of rivers: Due to heavy rains in these remote areas, rivers rise suddenly and cut off roads. The equipment could be isolated. The guide keeps the clients in a high and protected area. The activity is suspended.
  • Strong winds and snowstorms: The white wind is very dangerous due to poor visibility and freezing of extremities very quickly. At the slightest rain, the guide will suspend the activity and return to the vehicle to avoid freezing and problems associated with low temperatures (due to the altitude the rain freezes causing snow and freezing). The activity is suspended.
  • Volcanic eruption: The guides are aware of evacuation routes and safety zones. Some precautions to follow are:
  • Stay away from areas where the wind blows from the volcano.
  • Stay away from valley bottoms. Go to places at high altitude through the established evacuation routes.
  • Do not cross streams or rivers.
  • If you are driving and you are surprised by a shower of ashes, stay inside the vehicle with the windows and doors closed. If you are able to move forward, do so slowly.
  • In the event of any of these catastrophes, the guides are trained to provide quick solutions and identify the safest places for the clients. In any of these cases, the activity will be suspended immediately.

 

Risks associated with transportation:

 

  • Rollover.
  • Puncture of more than one tire.
  • Lack of fuel.

 

Emergency response plan:

 

The persons in charge of executing the emergency protocol are:

 

  1. Balthasar Rutchen Ploch Böhmer (Chilean/German; contact number: +56981381835): guide in charge/driver in case of emergency and first aid.
  2. Charlie Muñoz Contreras (Chilean; contact number +56975832804):Communication with aid and rescue services, e.g., Andean Rescue, Carabineros de Chile, nearest hospital and/or clinic.
  • Communication system to be used: Cellular Phone, VHS Radios and Satelital Phone.
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