Death of a participant

We've been to two events where someone died during the event. It is an extremely rare thing happening, and nothing can really prepare you for it. In both cases the cause of death was unexpected: heart attack, and seizure. Nobody could have prevented it, and nobody was at fault for it.

However, when this happens, everyone around these deaths is affected, and I think it is useful to at least be prepared that this might happen.

What you can do

• Ask participants (incl. team members)
  • for emergency contact information
  • for critical health issues to be aware of
    • allergies
    • heart conditions
  • if they have medical training, e.g. are medical doctors, nurses, or have first aid training
• Have a list of relevant contacts ready
  • emergency doctor
  • ambulance
  • police
• Be aware of where medical emergency equipment is located in your event

What will happen when someone dies

1. Someone collapses on the floor.
2. Someone will realize that a person is in need of a doctor.
3. This will cause confusion and hectic.
4. Someone will ask for the music to be turned off.
5. Someone with experience in first aid will examine the person
6. Ideally, they will perform first aid, maybe mouth-to-mouth or heart massage
7. Someone will call the emergency doctor and/or an ambulance.
8. It will take 10-25 minutes for them to appear. They will take charge of the immediate care of the person, and might need some help from the organizers, but usually not.
   1. If the person who collapsed is already dead, and can be declared dead, the police will get involved.
   2. If the person is not dead yet, they will be transported to the nearest emergency room. If they die, the police will get involved.
9. The event participants will be everything from helpful to completely disturbed.
   1. You as an organizer
      1. need to handle both the immediate things around the person in trouble
      2. need to handle your guests
10. When the police is involved,
    1. they will document what happened
       1. pictures
       2. chronological description of events
       3. who called the ambulance?
    2. they will ask witnesses to appear at the police station to give a statement
11. In some countries, a psychological trauma team can assist to take care of bystanders and event participants
12. At some point you want to notify the next of kin of the person who collapsed.
    1. Ideally you have an emergency contact
    2. Or on the person's mobile phone -- e.g. iOS helps you to share medical information and emergency contacts which are accessible even on a locked phone
    3. Ideally you have a real name (and address) of the affected person.
       1. Otherwise you'll need to find information through facebook or LinkedIn