Pastor Gregory Phelps thought his church was prepared for just about anything during Sunday morning worship. But a medical emergency in December caught members of Christian Community Church of Life in Arlington, Colo., off guard.
Phelps was just about to dismiss the 150-member congregation when he noticed some commotion near the back of the sanctuary. Several people huddled around a 72-year-old woman who thought she was having a heart attack.
Chaos reigned before someone managed to find a phone and call for an ambulance, Phelps said.
"We thought we had a plan in place in case something like this was to happen," he said, noting that church staff had briefly discussed what to do in such situations, "but when it did happen, we quickly realized we weren't at all prepared. Talking about it isn't the same as preparing for it."
The woman ended up being OK, Phelps said, but the situation prompted the church to take action. Like a growing number of churches, Phelps' congregation realized the need for trained volunteers ready to respond to medical emergencies.
"We know we can't predict everything, but we can certainly take some precautions," he said. "We want to at least have the basics in place in case of future medical emergencies."
Be prepared
While churches are more likely to have members experience falls than heart attacks or more serious matters, congregations should be prepared for a variety of situations.
Ron Aguiar, director of safety and security for Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., often gets calls from churches across the country asking for guidance in establishing security or medical response teams.
"Before we ever get into security issues, I tell them we need to talk about medical needs first, because that's something any size church needs to address," Aguiar said.
Aguiar oversees a 40-member volunteer emergency response team that caters to the various medical needs of the 17,000 people who attend Southeast's three weekend services.
"Things happen, even in small churches," Aguiar said. "People are going to fall, have heart attacks, have diabetic situations. You have to be prepared to do everything that's reasonable until an ambulance can get there."
Establishing a medical emergency response team doesn't have to be complicated, he said. He recommends first finding a medical professional in the congregation to set up a protocol. Dedicating a specific room in which to handle emergencies also is helpful, even if it has to be a restroom that is closed off, Aguiar said.
Southeast member Scott Henson, a professional firefighter and emergency medical technician, helps coordinate the weekly volunteer medical teams, which always include a doctor, an EMT and a nurse. Seats are reserved throughout the church for the volunteers so that they can be located quickly in an emergency. They also use radios for quick contact.
"We carry first-aid kits in simple bags so they don't stick out," Henson said. "We don't want to be a distraction; we just want to be prepared when someone needs us."
Henson said Southeast averages one incident a service, usually nothing too serious. Not long ago, though, a church member exercising in Southeast's activities center died from a heart attack.
"Sometimes even with the best of care, things like that are going to happen," Henson said. "The most a church can do is to be proactive and at the very least, have basic first-aid kits available."
At the heart of the matter
Southeast has three Automated External Defribrillators (AEDs). Aguiar recommends the devices, which typically cost up to $3,000 each, to all churches. AEDs administer an electric shock through the chest wall to the heart.
The devices are invaluable in helping people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, said Marty Johnson, vice president of Safety Services Network, which sells AEDs.
"Any facility that has a number of people spending a considerable amount of time there each week should consider AEDs," said Johnson, who has received inquiries about the devices from more than 10 churches in the last several weeks.
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Suggested Guidelines for Avoiding Liability Issues Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, which provides insurance to more than 30,000 churches nationwide, recommends churches consider the following steps when establishing accident and medical emergency guidelines: · Designate a contact person within the organization to handle all accident reports. The contact person should know exactly what information needs to be gathered and to what agency it should be reported. · Take care of the injured. Apply basic first aid if necessary. If the accident is serious, call an ambulance; if the injured party is a minor, contact the parents right away. Also, notify the contact person as soon as possible, regardless of the extent of the injury. · Gather information from the injured party. Find out if the person is a member, visitor or employee of the organization. Record names and phone numbers of all witnesses. · Inspect the area where the accident took place. If the accident was caused by a defect like a cracked floor or uneven sidewalk, rope off the area to avoid further accidents. Do not repair the defect until the church's insurance agency has had time to complete any necessary investigations. · Notify the church's insurance agent promptly. The contact person should relay all available information, including copies of any legal papers, demands or notices he or she receives regarding the incident. All injuries should be reported to the insurance agent within 24 hours, if possible. · Do not admit liability or make a commitment to pay expenses. While it's natural to express concern for the injured party, avoid making any comments regarding fault or negligence. |
The American Heart Association (AHA) encourages churches, along with businesses and schools, to have AEDs on hand. Early treatment with an AED can increase the survival rate of sudden cardiac arrest victims tenfold from the current survival rate of 1 in 20, according to the AHA. More than 450,000 people died in 2001 from sudden cardiac arrest, making it the nation's leading cause of death.
Many of the churches calling Safety Services Network have aging congregations facing various heart ailments, Johnson said.
"One recently had a person who during the service died there in the pew," he said. "No one wants to face that situation. The churches calling us just want to make sure they're doing everything they can to help their people."
Training and liability
Safety Services Network sells AED Plus, a portable device that guides users with visual and audible instructions. While people don't have to be certified to use AEDs, training is a good idea for medical response teams, Johnson said.
The American Red Cross, which also sells AEDs, provides free AED and CPR training, as does the AHA.
"Volunteers feel more comfortable being trained and knowing what's expected of them, and training is always a good idea for liability issues," said Johnson, whose company provides training for those who purchase the $1,895 AED Plus.
Churches and individuals who perform medical services in emergency situations are covered by the churches' general liability insurance which includes incidental medical malpractice coverage, said Mitzi Thomas. Thomas is assistant vice president of corporate communications for Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company.
Brotherhood Mutual, which provides insurance coverage for more than 30,000 churches of all sizes and denominations, hasn't received many inquiries about liability involving volunteer medical response teams, Thomas said.
Still, if a church is considering forming such a team, it's a good idea to check on their liability coverage with their local agents.
"It never hurts to call your insurance agent up front," Thomas said. "A lot of times the insurance is an afterthought."
Medical professionals, including doctors, nurses and EMTs, often have their own liability coverage through their employers. It's a good point to discuss when forming volunteer teams, Thomas said.
Churches shouldn't fret too much over liability or training issues, though both are important, Aguiar said.
"You're not looking for a complete medical team or a whole array of medical equipment," he said. "Our role is to provide basic life support until EMS arrives. These volunteer teams are valuable because they can help people immediately, but they don't take the place of full-fledged professional medical care."
