~ Blog Posts Written By RAs for RAs ~
The thought of a looming crisis can be daunting for any RA or student staff member. We all know that all-too-familiar sinking feeling as the duty phone starts ringing. No matter how confident one might be before an incident, in an emergency, having a clear-cut plan is the best way to avoid making any mistakes, and to best mitigate an incident.
Whether you are just THAT determined to be prepared for any scenario, or are frantically searching how to handle a situation you’ve found yourself in, hopefully this guide is able to help you…however you need it. (As an aside, if you are in fact in need of a procedure to deal with an emergency, and don’t have the time to read an article, skip ahead to the bulleted list).
Determining the Severity
Now this will obviously vary between different institutions. Every university has their own unique protocol and definitions for an incident, so make sure to understand your institution’s policy in addition to these guidelines. Crises significantly vary in their urgency, from slight inconveniences to life-threatening emergencies. Being able to quickly differentiate these different types–as well as knowing how to correctly respond to each one, helps one to prioritize their actions and allocate resources efficiently.
Whereas a low-level incident, such as a noise complaint might be annoying to deal with at the time, this incident requires a lot less care and attention than a higher-level emergency, such as a severe injury or mental health crisis. It is important to know not to overreact to low-level incidents, but when in doubt, airing more on the side of caution is typically the best form of action. If you have to stop and ask if you should call a supervisor about an issue, that’s your answer, they are there to help.
What to do in a Crisis
Every RA can recall that incident. The one that they remember vividly, the perfect storm of all incidents. Some stories are even passed down from older RAs like family heirlooms, begging the question, what should you do when you encounter your perfect storm? While every incident is different, and each step might not be as important in every scenario, these basic guidelines should go a long way in keeping you prepared.
Remember that your safety, and the safety of those around you is most important. You can’t help anyone if you become a part of the incident. If something doesn’t appear to be safe to be involved in, back away to a more secure area and call for assistance. If safe enough for you to continue, make sure to contact help, especially in the correct order. Emergency personnel take first priority, the sooner they can be contacted the sooner they can arrive to help. If possible, have someone like a fellow RA or witness call 911 while you take your next steps. After, or if calling emergency services is not needed, contact your supervisor, such as an RD/HD on duty so they can provide further advice/guidance.
Your next critical step, which is often overlooked in the moment, is to control the scene. Many people coming upon an incident have a “deer in the headlights” type of response, and will often just be in the way. If they aren’t a witness or involved directly, ask them to leave, and think of ways to prevent anyone else from intruding. Especially take care to prevent people from recording/taking pictures of an incident. These types of events are often very serious to those involved, and likewise their privacy should be respected. Use fellow RAs if possible to help isolate a scene while you wait for help to arrive, and when help does show up, ask if you can be helpful in any way.
While waiting for help and even after it arrives, make sure to keep a detailed record of what happened and who is involved. If appropriate, such as in a student injury, ask who was involved, and what happened. Keeping a record (such as in your notes app) will help you immensely later on when writing a report, and could be useful information for emergency services and professional staff.
And finally, make sure not to overstep. It can be all too easy to want to be more involved in a high-stakes scenario, but when emergency services such as EMTs or police arrive, try to stay out of their way and let them do their jobs. Help in different ways if possible, such as comforting any witnesses, or keeping the site of the incident contained.
Conclusion
Remember, this is in no means an exhaustive list of how to react when faced with a challenging crisis, however it should help to keep you on track when dealing with a difficult incident. Just to recap, here is a shortened list of the helpful steps outlined already:
- Check for the safety of you and those around you. Only proceed if it is safe
- Contact emergency personnel if necessary, THEN contact professional staff
- Isolate the incident, ask anyone not relevant to leave the area and prevent new people from getting involved
- Delegate tasks to keep one person from becoming too overwhelmed
- Keep detailed notes and collect any pertinent information
- Remember to follow up when necessary, and don’t overstep your role
Remember to take care of yourself following a difficult incident. You’re human too, and a crisis can very easily give vicarious trauma. It might seem like a token phrase by this point, but practicing self care is no token practice. Talk to your support system, make sure to take some time to relax, and don’t be afraid to follow up if necessary.
