The Houstonians International Cup aims to abide by all existing policy of the Unites States Soccer Federation Policy Manual and US Club Soccer Policies to the furthest extent possible provided they do not conflict. In the rare instance of a conflict US Club Soccer policies will rule unless another authority for the specific situation at hand is found to have documented president. In the case of conflict where the correct course of action is unable to be determined by documented policy president, the Tournament Director will make the final decision - the Tournament Directors decision is final and no protest will be heard. 

POLICY STATEMENT

It is the policy of Houstonians International Cup to ensure the safety of its constituents in case of a medical emergency, and to this end, specific procedures must be established and guidelines followed.

APPLICABILITY

This policy applies to all tournament staff or temporary staff and volunteers and any other persons on the property.

MEDICAL EMERGENCY

In the event of a sudden unexplained or possibly life threatening medical situation or a severe illness or injury, please dial 9-911 for Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Examples of life threatening conditions may include, but are not limited to, the following: choking, severe chest pain and/or shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, uncontrolled bleeding, debilitating injuries and violent behavior. After calling EMS, the following key contacts must be informed:

• Tournament Director 
•  Office of Houstonians Futbol Club (hosting organization) 

The above must be contacted when there was a medical emergency. The Tournament Director is responsible for completing an “Accident Report” form regardless of whether the illness or injury has occurred on or off the site. The Accident Report must be: completed within 48 hours of the occurrence; and submitted to the Office of the Houstonians Futbol Club (hosting organization). 

The cost for EMS services is the responsibility of the person who incurred the emergency. If the individual refuses transport, or if transport is not recommended by EMS personnel, there is no charge in most cases. 

ASSISTING IN A MEDICAL EMERGENCY

You can always do something to help in any emergency.

• Take appropriate safety precautions for yourself and the safety of others. Be alert to possible dangers at the scene. Move a victim only if the victim’s life is endangered.
• Communicate effectively, giving specifics on what, where, when, and the number of persons involved. Ask a conscious victim for permission before giving care; provide necessary information to EMS personnel upon arrival.
• Organize to the extent possible. Comfort the victim as well as bystanders. Keep the area free of unnecessary traffic and help protect the victim from possible dangers.

If a child goes missing during the tournament, the club / organisation will apply the following procedure:

• Ensure that all other children continue to be supervised appropriately while a search for the child concerned is carried out;
• Secure all parking on the premises and not allow anyone to leave until notified otherwise; 
• Alert available staff to man the entrances and exits preventing anyone with a child from leaving until notifying otherwise;
• Make a public announcement and request the child be escorted to tournament headquarters;
• Organize the remaining available responsible adults to conduct a search of the surrounding area allocating each individual to a specific area request all those searching report back within a short time, dependent on the size of the area being searched;
• If the child cannot be found after a good search of the immediate surroundings, contact the child’s parents to advise them of the concern and reassure them that everything is being done to locate the child;
• Make a note of the circumstances in which the child has gone missing and where he/she was last seen and prepare a detailed physical description of the child, to include their hair and eye colour, approximate height and build and clothing he/she was wearing, as this will be required by the police;
• Report the concern to the police if the search is unsuccessful and no later than 20 minutes after the initial missing person report if the search is ongoing;
• Follow police guidance if further action is recommended and maintain close contact with the police;
• Report the incident to the designated safeguarding officer;
• Ensure that you inform all adults involved including the parents, searchers and police if at any stage the child is located.